Adela Lily Potter
by KatyPotter
Summary: Adela means noble and serene. The daughter of Harry Potter and Kaitlyn Snape comes back in time to help her parents and friends change the future by reading parts of the Harry Potter series. Rating because I'm parinoid.
1. Chapter 1 The Third Task

**SO SOOOO sorry! I posted the wrong 1****st**** chapter! I hope this makes up for it!**

~oOo~

It was an ordinary Friday at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Ron was still mad at Harry for his name coming out of the Goblet of Fire, even though he had nothing to do with it. Harry instead hung out with Ron's sister Ginny, his best muggle-born friend Hermione, and Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn was the daughter of Severus Snape, though her hair wasn't as greasy. Severus Snape was the potions master at Hogwarts. Kaitlyn had her father's talent for potions, but she was in Gryffindor. She had once confided in Harry that the hat had told her to go to either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor but she didn't want to be all alone in the house of the badger. She knew that at least some of the Gryffindor's would accept her.

Her attitude was the one of her mother. She had never met the women as she had died in the first war but Severus had told her stories. She looked exactly like her father with only one difference and that was her nose and completion. She did not look pasty but slightly whiter and her nose was softer then her father's.

Harry was sitting in the common room talking to Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Kaitlyn Snape when a bright white light flashed and they were in another room entirely. "Where are we?" he heard a voice say.

"Sirius!" Harry yelled as Sirius landed right in front of them.

"Harry! What are you doing here? And where is 'here'?" Sirius asked.

"We have no clue." Harry said as Ginny gasped when she realized who Sirius was.

"Harry! Tha-that's Sirius Black!" Ginny yelled.

"We know Ginny, but Sirius is innocent. He was never given a trial." Hermione explained as more people showed up, including:

Fred, George, Percy, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Ron, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Remus, Tonks, Luna, Cedric, Neville, Kingsley, Mad-eye (the real mad-eye before the attack), Snape, and three people who they did not recognize.

"Bloody hell!" Ron yelled.

"Language, Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley scolded. Ron turned bright red as Harry snickered.

"Who are you?" Remus asked the two figures.

"I'm Teddy L-" the boy with bright blue hair started as the girl cut him off.

"He's Teddy, and I'm Allie. That is also my cousin Addie. We are from the future and we want to stop some of the deaths that happen." The girl with red hair answered. She had Weasley red hair but it was slightly frizzy but she was beautiful with brown eyes and freckles dusted on her nose and checks. The other girl whose name was Addie was very quiet. She had black hair and dark green eyes, but her hair was not as messy as Harry's. Kaitlyn knew who she was in an instant and gasped causing Harry and Severus to look at her in shock. She shook her head and they looked away.

Everyone looked shocked at the mention of deaths, "Whose deaths." Harry finally asked he had a dry mouth as he asked.

The boy and girls sighed together, "We'll tell you who and when but not how. You will find that out during the reading." Teddy said.

"Cedric Diggory, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, Dobby the free house-elf, Colin Creevy, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks-L" Teddy pinched her and she stopped to glare at him before continuing on. "Ted Tonks, Severus Snape, Ron Weasley, and only one good death actually come out of this and that is Tom Riddle's death."

Harry watched as the girl named Addie flinch slightly at the mention of Severus' death as did Kaitlyn.

"Who is Tom Riddle?" Remus asked as Mrs. Weasley rushed over to Ron and gave him large hug.

Addie answered this question, "Tom Morvalo Riddle is also known as Lord Voldemort." Ginny flinched as if she had been tazered. Everyone else gasped at that. "If you rearrange the letters in Tom Morvalo Riddle and they make 'I am Lord Voldemort'"

They nodded at this but then Harry remembered why they were there. "What do you want us to do?"

Addie was just mesmerized at how young he was when Allie nudged her with her elbow. "Oh..erm…we have some parts of four different books about your future and it will help to save these people."

Harry nodded as Kaitlyn was watching the girl named Addie with a keen eye, "Addie, what is your full name?" she asked as Teddy and Allie sucked in a breath.

Addie sighed and looked down, "My full name is Adela Lily Potter." Everyone including the two from the future gasped.

"Adela! We agreed we weren't going to tell them!" Allie whispered in a rush.

"I don't see why not. It's not like Mum is in the book anyway. They never would have figured out who I was." Addie said.

Allie sighed, she knew she was right but she didn't want to admit it. "And who might you be?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I'm only going to answer this question because the book has some slightly wrong information. My name is Allison Sage Weasley. I am the daughter of Fred and Hermione Weasley." There were some gasps at that, everyone thought that Ron would have married Hermione. "Mum said that she could not forgive Uncle Ron for giving up on Harry in his fourth year and then disappearing during the hunt in their seventh year. You'll understand later." She added the last part at the confused parts.

"If you don't mind me asking, Addie. Who is your mother?" Harry asked having an idea. If he was right he was slightly worried and he eyed the potions master warily.

"My dad is Harry James Potter and my mother is Kaitlyn Araxie Snape." Addie said with a small smirk. Snape glared at Harry quickly. When Addie saw this her eyes lit up. She ran to him and hugged him tightly. Snape at first looked shocked but then realized that this girl was his granddaughter and hugged her back tightly even if she was James Potter's granddaughter as well.

"Who are your parents?" Tonks asked Teddy.

Teddy just smiled, "My birth is recorded in the book but because I'm not sure we're going to touch it just yet I'll tell you." He said quickly looking over at the hugging Snape's.

"My full name is Teddy Remus Lupin. My father is Remus John Lupin and my mother is Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin." He grinned at his father's shocked expression.

"And you don't have my…furry problem?" Remus asked.

"No, the Metamorphagus gene overpowered it because the furry problem gene is fairly light when it was not inflicted by a bite and Mum's metamorphagus abilities overpowered it." Teddy explained.

Tonks was bouncing in her seat as Teddy explained. She knew she would get Remus one day! Even though he denied her she knew he wouldn't be able to hold out for long.

"Shall we get reading?" Fred asked slowly moving over to Hermione so they could sit together with their daughter.

Snape moved with his arm still around his granddaughter to where Harry and Kaitlyn were. He might hate Harry's father but he had to admit that he had good taste in women.

Ginny moved to sit with Neville and Luna as they sat on another couch. The Weasley's all sat together and huddled around the brother they knew would not survive the war unless they stopped it.

Remus and Tonks were around Teddy hugging and kissing him and Sirius looked at Harry in shock. He never would have guessed that the man that he hated had a daughter, and that, that daughter would have married his godson. Sirius slowly made his way towards the Snape/Potter family and sat down. He would try to be nicer to Snape if it meant that he could get to know his godson's daughter.

Addie then pulled out a book from her robes, "Who would like to read first?" she asked.

"I will." Allie said as he father smirked. She had her mother's brains, she then flipped open the book. "It looks as if we are starting at the end of the tournament."

"That hasn't even started yet." Hermione said with a frown. Allie just shrugged, she had no control over where the book started, her mother was the one who had decided.

**"The Third Task." **Allie read. Everyone leaned in, in anticipation. They wanted to know what was going on with Harry in the tournament.

**"Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Who's getting stronger again as well?" Ron whispered.**

Everyone shuddered at the thought, even Snape and Percy. Kaitlyn placed a hand on her father's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. Snape just put his hand over hers and squeezed.

**Everything Harry had seen in the Pensieve, nearly everything Dumbledore had told and shown him afterward, he had now shared with Ron and Hermione - and, of course, with Sirius, to whom Harry had sent an owl the moment he had left Dumbledore's office. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat up late in the common room once again that night, talking it all over until Harry's mind was reeling, until he understood what Dumbledore had meant about a head becoming so full of thoughts that it would have been a relief to siphon them off.**

"What is the book talking about?" Fred asked. Hermione just shrugged, she had no idea what was going on.

**Ron stared into the common room fire. Harry thought he saw Ron shiver slightly, even though the evening was warm.**

Ron grumbled at that but said nothing else. He still wasn't happy about the cup.

"**And he trusts Snape?" Ron said. "He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?"**

Kaitlyn, Severus (I'm just gonna call him that from now on), and Addie sighed. "Mr. Weasley, I am a _former_ Death Eater. As in I'm not really a Death Eater. I'm a spy for the light." Severus said with a roll of his eyes.

Harry snickered at the way Severus said this. Severus turned to look at his future son-in-law, Harry quickly turned away from the potion master's onyx eyes. Severus smirked and nodded for Allie to continue.

"**Yes," said Harry.**

**Hermione had not spoken for ten minutes. She was sitting with her forehead in her hands, staring at her knees. Harry thought she too looked as though she could have done with a Pensieve.**

"**Rita Skeeter," she muttered finally.**

"What?" Fred and George asked. "Have you gone mad?" Fred asked placing his hand on Hermione's forehead, causing said girl to blush and smile lightly.

"No I'm not sick, I must have had an idea." She said. Her daughter watched the scene with a small smile. Ron was frowning, Allie should have been his daughter, but he had to be a bloody idiot and not believe Harry. He still didn't believe his best friend.

"**How can you be worrying about her now?" said Ron, in utter disbelief.**

"**I'm not worrying about her," Hermione said to her knees. "I'm just thinking… remember what she said to me in the Three Broomsticks? 'I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl.' This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, remember… 'Ludo Bagman's a bad wizard.' Mr. Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home."**

"I really have no idea what you are talking about here." McGonagall said. She had been happy that Severus is finally getting over his grudge from James Potter.

Fred and George glanced at each other before frowning. They had an idea about what Winky and Rita knew.

"**Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?" Hermione shrugged.**

"**And Fudge reckons Madame Maxime attacked Crouch?" Ron said, turning back to Harry.**

"Someone attacked Mr. Crouch?" Percy yelled.

"Not yet you prat." Ron said.

"So sorry," George started.

"Did we miss," Fred continued.

"The engagement?" They finished together. Percy blushed but frowned as well.

"**Yeah," said Harry, "but he's only saying that because Crouch disappeared near the Beauxbatons carriage."**

Percy's frown deepened, _Mr. Crouch disappeared? Why and how? Who did it?_

"**We never thought of her, did we?" said Ron slowly. "Mind you, she's definitely got giant blood, and she doesn't want to admit it-"**

"**Of course she doesn't," said Hermione sharply, looking up. "Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita found out about his mother.**

"What?" Sirius, Remus, Harry, Ron, and Hermione asked as their heads snapped up.

"How could she do that?" Hermione screeched, " That foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach!" she then drew up a dummy Rita and blasted it with her wand. Everyone watched her in shock.

Fred just smiled, he had always had a crush on Hermione. He just thought that Ron would ask her out, that's why he left her alone. She actually was very beautiful, he was going to have to ask her out soon.

**Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, just because she's part giant. Who needs that sort of prejudice? I'd probably say I had big bones if I knew that's what I'd get for telling the truth."**

Everyone frowned at that. She was right, if they had giant blood they all would most likely say that they were big-boned.

**Hermione looked at her watch. "We haven't done any practicing!" she said, looking shocked. "We were going to do the Impediment Curse! We'll have to really get down to it tomorrow! Come on. Harry, you need to get some sleep."**

"What's the Impediment Curse?" Harry asked Kaitlyn.

"It's a curse that when you aim it correctly will slow down your attacker slightly." Kaitlyn explained as best as she could, "If we keep reading I'm sure it'll be explained better." Harry nodded.

**Harry and Ron went slowly upstairs to their dormitory. As Harry pulled on his pajamas, he looked over at Neville's bed. True to his word to Dumbledore, he had not told Ron and Hermione about Neville s parents. **

Neville froze at that, Harry had known about his parents. He took a quick glance to Dumbledore who shook his head. Neville let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't that he wasn't proud to be their son, he really was. He just wasn't ready for everyone to know yet.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked confused as Kaitlyn had apprehension cross her face. "Oh." She said softly. Her father had told her about Neville's parents, he told her everything he had ever done as a Death Eater in hopes that she would understand and not get the mark.

She never wanted the mark in the first place but that just solidified the deal. And now that she knew her and Harry would work out she _really_ was against getting the mark.

**As Harry took off his glasses and climbed into his four-poster, he imagined how it must feel to have parents still living but unable to recognize you. He often got sympathy from strangers for being an orphan, but as he listened to Neville's snores, he thought that Neville deserved it more than he did. **

Neville looked down at that, he didn't want people's pitying looks that he was receiving. There was no way past it now, when and if they asked he would tell them about his parents. The reading was bound to tell them anyway.

**Lying in the darkness, Harry felt a rush of anger and hate toward the people who had tortured Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom… He remembered the jeers of the crowd as Crouch's son and his companions had been dragged from the court by the Dementors… He understood how they had felt… Then he remembered the milk-white face of the screaming boy and realized with a jolt that he had died a year later…**

Dumbledore looked pensive at that, what would have happened if Barty Crouch Jr. really didn't die that terrible year later? He would have to read and find out…

**It was Voldemort, Harry thought, staring up at the canopy of his bed in the darkness, it all came back to Voldemort… He was the one who had torn these families apart, who had ruined all these lives…**

Everyone sighed at that, Mrs. Weasley sniffed. Her brothers Fabian and Gideon were killed by that bastard. At least they had died laughing…

**Ron and Hermione were supposed to be studying for their exams, which would finish on the day of the third task, but they were putting most of their efforts into helping Harry prepare.**

Addie then spoke up, "This in one of the mistakes in the book, Uncle Ron was working on his exams preparation and Uncle Fred and Uncle George were helping Aunt Hermione and Dad." Fred and George looked thoughtful at that. Could they become true friends with the 'Golden Trio' now that they had lost a main member?

**"Don't worry about it," Hermione said shortly when Harry pointed this out to them and said he didn't mind practicing on his own for a while, "at least we'll get top marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts. We'd never have found out about all these hexes in class."**

Dumbledore looked thoughtful at that, "It might benefit our students to learn all of these hexes as we head back into war."

Percy huffed, "There is no war." Dumbledore peered at Percy over the top of his spectacles causing Percy to feel like an eleven year old again.

"I do believe that what these three children have said about you losing a brother and the rest of us losing friends and family, is correct. We are all going to lose people in this war coming up." Dumbledore said softly.

"**Good training for when we're all Aurors," said Ron excitedly, attempting the Impediment Curse on a wasp that had buzzed into the room and making it stop dead in midair.**

"Who really did that?" Hermione asked shocked.

"Erm…I believe it was Uncle George?" Allie said but it came out as a question.

Addie nodded, "I think it was Uncle George. Uncle Fred was too busy goggling Aunt Hermione." Harry and Kaitlyn laughed lightly at this as Fred and Hermione blushed slightly and smiled at each other.

**The mood in the castle as they entered June became excited and tense again. Everyone was looking forward to the third task, which would take place a week before the end of term. Harry was practicing hexes at every available moment. He felt more confident about this task than either of the others. Difficult and dangerous though it would undoubtedly be, Moody was right: Harry had managed to find his way past monstrous creatures and enchanted barriers before now, and this time he had some notice, some chance to prepare himself for what lay ahead.**

Sirius raised an eyebrow at the last statement. What did his godson ever get through that was dangerous? Harry saw this movement and shook his head, he would explain later…if Sirius remembered.

**Tired of walking in on Harry, Hermione, and Ron all over the school, Professor McGonagall had given them permission to use the empty Transfiguration classroom at lunchtimes. Harry had soon mastered the Impediment Curse, a spell to slow down and obstruct attackers; **

"See I was right." Kaitlyn said to Harry with a smile. Harry just smiled back at her and blushed slightly. How could it have taken him this long to realize he liked Kaitlyn more than just a friend? He, like Fred, would have to ask her out soon.

Severus saw Harry's expression and sighed, he knew his daughter would start dating soon and he could see that Potter would be the first and last one she dated. He then looked at his granddaughter in his 'partial' hug and kissed her hair. As long as Po-Harry treated her right he didn't have a problem.

**the Reductor Curse, which would enable him to blast solid objects out of his way; and the Four-Point Spell, a useful discovery of Hermiones that would make his wand point due north, therefore enabling him to check whether he was going in the right direction within the maze. **

"Very good, Hermione." Charlie smiled. "You'd make an amazing professor or Aurorer." Hermione blushed as Fred scowled at his brother. Charlie just looked at Fred innocently, he wouldn't admit it but he was trying to push the two together. He admitted along with George and Bill that they would look cute together.

**He was still having trouble with the Shield Charm, though. This was supposed to cast a temporary, invisible wall around himself that deflected minor curses; Hermione managed to shatter it with a well-placed Jelly-Legs Jinx, and Harry wobbled around the room for ten minutes afterward before she had looked up the counter jinx.**

Harry sighed, "Thanks' for that Hermione." Hermione chuckled, she knew she must have done that purposely because she already knew the counter jinx.

"**You're still doing really well, though," Hermione said encouragingly, looking down her list and crossing off those spells they had already learned. "Some of these are bound to come in handy."**

"**Come and look at this," said Ron, who was standing by the window. He was staring down onto the grounds. "What's Malfoy doing?"**

"That really was Uncle Ron." Allie said sadly thinking about her Uncle whom she never got to meet.

**Harry and Hermione went to see. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in the shadow of a tree below. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be keeping a lookout; both were smirking. Malfoy was holding his hand up to his mouth and speaking into it.**

"Kind of like a walkie-talkie." Hermione murmured to herself vowing she wouldn't let Skeeter hurt Hagrid or anyone else with her stories ever again. Allie and Addie looked at each other and smirked, they knew Hermione figured it out eventually.

"**He looks like he's using a walkie-talkie," said Harry curiously.**

Hermione looked at Harry in shock. She had just said the same thing not a second ago.

"**He can't be," said Hermione, "I've told you, those sorts of things don't work around Hogwarts. Come on, Harry," she added briskly, turning away from the window and moving back into the middle of the room, "let's try that Shield Charm again."**

**Sirius was sending daily owls now. Like Hermione, he seemed to want to concentrate on getting Harry through the last task before they concerned themselves with anything else. He reminded Harry in every letter that whatever might be going on outside the walls of Hogwarts was not Harry's responsibility, nor was it within his power to influence it.**

Sirius nodded, he agreed with himself 100%. Harry shouldn't worry about anything else but the tasks at hand at the moment an keeping himself alive. Kaitlyn hated to admit it but she agreed with Sirius as well, Harry had to keep himself alive. No matter what. She then looked at her daughter, she didn't seem older then twelve.

If anything Harry had to keep himself alive for his daughter, who would not be born if he died.

**If Voldemort is really getting stronger again, he wrote, my priority is to ensure your safety. He cannot hope to lay hands on you while you are under Dumbledore's protection, but all the same, take no risks: Concentrate on getting through that maze safely, and then we can turn our attention to other matters.**

Everyone in the Order nodded, they would handle everything else. All he had to do was get himself through the tasks safely.

"If you do not survive, Potter. I will find a way to bring you back just to kill you myself. I have gotten to like my granddaughter and she would not be alive if you died." Severus said glaring at Harry as he paled. Kaitlyn and Addie snicker at their father/grandfather.

**Harry's nerves mounted as June the twenty-fourth drew closer, but they were not as bad as those he had felt before the first and second tasks. For one thing, he was confident that, this time, he had done everything in his power to prepare for the task. For another, this was the final hurdle, and however well or badly he did, the tournament would at last be over, which would be an enormous relief.**

Harry nodded in agreement with himself.

**Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Gryffindor table on the morning of the third task. The post owls appeared, bringing Harry a good-luck card from Sirius. It was only a piece of parchment, folded over and bearing a muddy paw print on its front, but Harry appreciated it all the same. A screech owl arrived for Hermione, carrying her morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it.**

Allie turned bright pink and started to giggle. Her mother had saved the article and she had come across it just a few days earlier.

"**What?" said Harry and Ron together, staring at her. "Nothing," said Hermione quickly, trying to shove the paper out of sight, but Ron grabbed it. He stared at the headline and said, "No way. Not today. That old cow."**

"That's supposed to be Daddy." Allie said frowning, this book had a lot of mistakes. Ron frowned, it really should have been him, if he wasn't such a git…

"**What?" said Harry. "Rita Skeeter again?"**

"**No," said Ron, and just like Hermione, he attempted to push the paper out of sight.**

"**It's about me, isn't it?" said Harry.**

"No duh." Fred started.

"Why else would," George continued.

"We try,"

"To keep,"

"The paper from you?" they asked together. They had gotten that they were the ones hiding the paper considering what Allie and Addie said.

"**No," said Ron, in an entirely unconvincing tone. But before Harry could demand to see the paper Draco Malfoy shouted across the Great Hall from the Slytherin table.**

"**Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? You feeling all right? Sure you're not going to go berserk on us?"**

"What the bloody hell does that mean?" Kaitlyn asked enraged.

"Kaitlyn Araxie Snape!" Severus yelled causing Addie to jump slightly. "Watch your lauguage."

Kaitlyn nodded, she knew when her Dad used her full name that she was in trouble. She would have to watch what she said with her father around.

**Malfoy was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet too. Slytherins up and down the table were sniggering, twisting in their seats to see Harry's reaction.**

"**Let me see it," Harry said to Ron. "Give it here."**

**Very reluctantly, Ron handed over the newspaper. Harry turned it over and found himself staring at his own picture, beneath the banner headline:**

'**HARRY POTTER DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS'**

"Isn't that just bloody perfect…" Harry muttered. Kaitlyn looked at Harry and then leaned her head on his shoulder. Harry froze suddenly and wrapped his arm around her slowly.

Severus watched from the corner of his eye but said nothing, his daughter would never forgive him if he messed this up.

_**The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potter's strange behavior, which casts doubts upon his suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even to attend Hogwarts School.**_

Everyone except Percy and Dumbledore looked shocked. Percy knew that Potter was a nut job, and Dumbledore knew something like it was going to happen so he didn't question it.

If you listened closely you could hear Mrs. Weasley mumbling, "Foul, evil women…"

_**Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often heard to complain of pain in the scar on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him). On Monday last, midway through a Divination lesson, your Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Potter storming from the class, claiming that his scar was hurting too badly to continue studying.**_

Harry looked at Addie hoping that wasn't true. Addie just smiled lightly and shook her head, "I believe you were mad at Uncle Ron and you needed an excuse to get out of there." Ron looked sad at that, he really needed to work on his jealousy. If he could then maybe Harry and Hermione would forgive him like they did in the book.

_**It is possible, say top experts at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potters brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You- Know-Who, and that his insistence that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his deep-seated confusion**_**.**

"That is not true, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said hoping to ease the boy. "Your scar did not affect your brain, but it does give you a connection to Voldemort that no one else has." Harry frowned at that, he didn't want a 'special connection' to Voldemort…

_"__**He might even be pretending," said one specialist. "This could be a plea for attention."**_

"You've got to be kidding me!" Harry said, "I get enough attention at school that I don't bloody want and they have the nerve to say that I just want more! I don't want this bloody connection to him! He killed my parents, why would I want to be famous for surviving when my parents didn't?" Addie frowned, she knew her father hated his fame and she wished she could help him but she couldn't.

She slowly worked her way out of her grandfather's arms and went to her father and gave him a big hug. Harry hugged her back burying his face in her hair. She sat on his lap as Allie continued to read.

_**The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public.**_

_"__**Potter can speak Parseltongue," reveals Draco Malfoy,**_

"That's not a secret." Kaitlyn said. Hermione nodded with a frown.

"Everyone figured it out second year when Harry saved Justin from that snake." Hermione explained to Sirius and Remus' shocked expressions.

"So that's what he said to it." Severus thought. "Even the professors had no idea what you said to the snake but we were glad you did. Justin would have been dead before he even got to the hospital wing." Harry nodded, shocked that Professor Snape was having a civil conversation with him.

_**a Hogwarts fourth year. "There were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years ago, and most people thought Potter was behind them after they saw him lose his temper at a dueling club and set a snake on another boy. It was all hushed up, though. But he's made friends with werewolves and giants too. We think he'd do anything for a bit of power."**_

Harry looked angry, he didn't want power! He just wanted to be left alone! Addie saw his discomfort and leaned her head against his chest as Kaitlyn rubbed his arm.

_**Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has long been considered a Dark Art.**_

"But it all depends upon how you use it." Dumbledore explained. "Harry is no more evil then anyone in this room." Ron glanced at Severus and thought differently.

_**Indeed, the most famous Parselmouth of our times is none other than You-Know-Who himself. A member of the Dark Force Defense League, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that he would regard any wizard who could speak Parseltongue "as worthy of investigation. Personally, I would be highly suspicious of anybody who could converse with snakes, as serpents are often used in the worst kinds of Dark Magic, and are historically associated with evildoers." Similarly, "anyone who seeks out the company of such vicious creatures as werewolves and giants would appear to have a fondness for violence."**_

Remus and Teddy looked upset at that. "Remus, you know that's not true. You are one of my Dad's best friends, you said you would do anything for me and right now I just need you there as someone to come to if I have a problem. I have Sirius too but he's harder to get to considering he's still on the run." Harry said making Remus calm down and in turn calming down Teddy.

_**Albus Dumbledore should surely consider whether a boy such as this should be allowed to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Some fear that Potter might resort to the Dark Arts in his desperation to win the tournament, the third task of which takes place this evening.**_

"Harry will do fine." Dumbledore said, "I would not have let him compete if I did not think so, and everyone knows that whoever takes a champion out of the tournament loses all magical ability. I believe Harry can do it and I have a strong belief that he can win as well." Harry looked shocked at the confidence that the headmaster had in him but he vowed that he would try his best to make him proud.

"**Gone off me a bit, hasn't she?" said Harry lightly, folding up the paper.**

**Over at the Slytherin table, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were laughing at him, tapping their heads with their fingers, pulling grotesquely mad faces, and waggling their tongues like snakes.**

"Idiots." Hermione said. Severus looked suspicious at this, Draco had always told him that Potter started fights but it seemed like Draco was the instigator.

"**How did she know your scar hurt in Divination?" Ron said. "There's no way she was there, there's no way she could've heard -"**

"**The window was open," said Harry. "I opened it to breathe."**

"How could she have heard that?" Hermione asked angrily, "You were at the top of the North Tower!" Harry shrugged but Allie chuckled as she read the next line.

"**You were at the top of North Tower!" Hermione said. "Your voice couldn't have carried all the way down to the grounds!"**

"You don't change much do you 'Mione?" Fred asked. Hermione blushed at the nickname but she liked it. She then glared at Harry as if to say, you-cannot-call-me-that-it-is-a-Fred-Weasley-only-nickname. Harry understood and nodded with a smile. He was happy for his sister-like friend.

"**Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!" said Harry. "You tell me how she did it!"**

"**I've been trying!" said Hermione. "But I… but…"** **An odd, dreamy expression suddenly came over Hermione's face. She slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through her hair.**

"Oh sweet Merlin! I think I know how she's doing it!" Hermione and Kaitlyn yelled at the same time before looking at each other.

"After this chapter we are doing research!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Why?" Kaitlyn asked, "If we're right the book will tell us." Hermione nodded.

"But if the book doesn't explain it we are researching!"

"Yes, Hermione. I wouldn't have it any other way." Kaitlyn chuckled at her father as he rolled his eyes.

"**Are you all right?" said Ron, frowning at her.**

"That was Daddy/Uncle Fred." Allie and Addie said together before breaking out in laughter. Fred blushed slightly, he loved having a family. And now knowing that he was going to have an amazing daughter and 'almost-niece'

"**Yes," said Hermione breathlessly. She ran her fingers through her hair again, and then held her hand up to her mouth, as though speaking into an invisible walkie-talkie. Harry and Ron stared at each other.**

"**I've had an idea," Hermione said, gazing into space. "I think I know… because then no one would be able to see… even Moody… and she'd have been able to get onto the window ledge… but she's not allowed… she's definitely not allowed… I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library - just to make sure!"**

Fred chuckled, he loved it when Hermione had an idea and had to check the library to make sure she was correct. The more he thought about it the more he thought that Hermione would make a great prankster.

**With that, Hermione seized her school bag and dashed out of the Great Hall.**

"**Oy!" Ron called after her. "We've got our History of Magic exam in ten minutes! Blimey," he said, turning back to Harry, "she must really hate that Skeeter woman to risk missing the start of an exam. What're you going to do in Binns's class – read again?"**

"Wait…I don't need to take the exams?" Harry asked confused.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. We explained this already before we pulled the names out of the Goblet." McGonagall said sternly.

"Well, erm…I wasn't really paying attention because I didn't think my name would be pulled out. I thought I would actually have a _normal_ year at Hogwarts." Harry explained causing the normally hard professor's glare to soften.

**Exempt from the end-of-term tests as a Triwizard champion, Harry had been sitting in the back of every exam class so far, looking up fresh hexes for the third task.**

"That's actually a very good use of your time, Harry." Tonks said in surprise. Harry looked at her in shock, he really didn't know her but she seemed nice enough and Remus was happy. "But you might not want to tell Mad-eye that, he would have you signed up for the Aurors before you're even out of school." Harry smiled at that, he might just want to become an Auror. It seemed to fit him.

Mad-eye just scowled at Tonks but nodded in Harry's direction. He would make a damn good Auror. He wouldn't pull the boy out of school however, he needed his schooling to become and even better Auror.

"**S'pose so," Harry said to Ron; but just then. Professor McGonagall came walking alongside the Gryffindor table toward him.**

"**Potter, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast," she said.**

"**But the task's not till tonight!" said Harry, accidentally spilling scrambled eggs down his front, afraid he had mistaken the time.**

McGonagall chuckled softly, she really did like Harry. But she couldn't play favorites as Severus so often did. She felt bad for the boy because he tried so hard but life never went his way.

She then looked at Addie and she smiled, at least one thing went Harry's way, even if it was with Severus' daughter.

"**I'm aware of that, Potter," she said. "The champions' families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them." She moved away. Harry gaped after her.**

"**She doesn't expect the Dursleys to turn up, does she?" he asked Ron blankly.**

"Dear Merlin, I hope not!" Harry said a frown forming on his face. The twinkle left Dumbledore's eyes, why would Harry act in such a way concerning his relatives. He was aware that they didn't treat him the best but he didn't think it was too terrible.

Severus just rolled his eyes; he thought Harry was just a pampered prince. As Severus thought this Kaitlyn frowned, she was the only one Harry had told about his cupboard and when he was locked up with no meals for doing accidental magic. Kaitlyn knew she had to do something but she didn't know what. She remembered trying to tell her father but e kept going on and on about how Harry was a pampered prince when Kaitlyn knew otherwise.

"**Dunno," said Ron. "Harry, I'd better hurry, I'm going to be late for Binns. See you later."**

**Harry finished his breakfast in the emptying Great Hall. He saw Fleur Delacour get up from the Ravenclaw table and join Cedric as he crossed to the side chamber and entered. Krum slouched off to join them shortly afterward. Harry stayed where he was. He really didn't want to go into the chamber. He had no family - no family who would turn up to see him risk his life, anyway. **

Everyone frowned at that, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley vowed that they would go at the end of the tournament. Bill and Charlie were thinking the same thing. Percy just looked indifferent, he knew Harry was a lying prat. Ron didn't know what to think anymore.

**But just as he was getting up, thinking that he might as well go up to the library and do a spot more hex research, the door of the side chamber opened, and Cedric stuck his head out.** "**Harry, come on, they're waiting for you!"**

Harry looked confused, "What are you talking about?" he asked Cedric.

"I don't know Harry." The Hufflepuff said. It was the first thing he had said while watching the soon to be family get to know each other. He was still wondering why he was there. He figured he would ask either Teddy, Allie, or Addie after this chapter.

**Utterly perplexed Harry got up. The Dursleys couldn't possibly be here, could they? He walked across the Hall and opened the door into the chamber. Cedric and his parents were just inside the door. Viktor Krum was over in a corner, conversing with his dark-haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian. He had inherited his father's hooked nose. On the other side of the room, Fleur was jabbering away in French to her mother. Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, was holding her mother's hand. She waved at Harry, who waved back, grinning. **

Kaitlyn scowled in a way that made her look like her father. Harry chuckled lightly and wrapped his arm around her.

Fred and George were laughing almost hysterically. "Hey Kaitlyn, it looks like you have competition." Kaitlyn just blushed lightly. She didn't mean to come off possessive but she did really, _really_ like Harry.

**Then he saw Mrs. Weasley and Bill standing in front of the fireplace, beaming at him.**

Said people were smiling like crazy where as Mr. Weasley was frowning slightly where was he?

"**Surprise!" Mrs. Weasley said excitedly as he smiled broadly and walked over to them. "Thought we'd come and watch you. Harry!" She bent down and kissed him on the cheek.**

Harry blushed, Mrs. Weasley really was like a mother to him. "Thank you Mrs. Weasley." Harry said.

"Call me Molly, deary. We have known each other long enough and you are like another son to me." Mrs. Weasley said. Harry just nodded a light smile on his face.

"**You all right?" said Bill, grinning at Harry and shaking his hand. "Charlie wanted to come, but he couldn't get time off. He said you were incredible against the Horntail."**

Harry paled as did everyone else. "Th-the first tas-task is a dra-dragon?" Harry asked shaking slightly as Kaitlyn's grip on him tightened.

Charlie sighed but nodded, "And it looks like you get the most dangerous one out of them all." Mrs. Weasley frowned at that as Ron's eyes were popping out of his head.

**Fleur Delacour, Harry noticed, was eyeing Bill with great interest over her mother's shoulder. Harry could tell she had no objection whatsoever to long hair or earrings with fangs on them.**

Bill flushed as Mrs. Weasley and Ginny frowned. Mr. Weasley just chuckled at his son's misfortune as to have Mrs. Weasley's wrath.

"**This is really nice of you," Harry muttered to Mrs. Weasley. "I thought for a moment - the Dursleys -"**

"**Hmm," said Mrs. Weasley, pursing her lips. She had always refrained from criticizing the Dursleys in front of Harry, but her eyes flashed every time they were mentioned.**

Said women still had pursed lips and flashing eyes, she didn't like what Harry looked like when he would come over from their house during the summer. She suspected that they did not treat him right at all.

**"It's great being back here," said Bill, looking around the chamber (Violet, the Fat Lady's friend, winked at him from her frame). "Haven't seen this place for five years. Is that picture of the mad knight still around? Sir Cadogan?"**

"**Oh yeah," said Harry, who had met Sir Cadogan the previous year.**

"He can be a right pain in the-" Sirius started.

"Sirius!" McGonagall scolded. "There are children present." Sirius knew well enough to look ashamed.

"**And the Fat Lady?" said Bill.**

"**She was here in my time," said Mrs. Weasley. "She gave me such a telling off one night when I got back to the dormitory at four in the morning -"**

"**What were you doing out of your dormitory at four in the morning?" said Bill, surveying his mother with amazement.**

**Mrs. Weasley grinned, her eyes twinkling.**

"**Your father and I had been for a nighttime stroll," she said. "He got caught by Apollyon Pringle - he was the caretaker in those days - your father's still got the marks."**

All of the Weasley's paled at that thought. They really didn't want to know what happened during that 'night-time stroll'. Mr. Weasley just smiled in memory, "I can show you them when we get home." The Weasley children just shook their heads quickly, they did not want to know.

"**Fancy giving us a tour, Harry?" said Bill.**

"**Yeah, okay," said Harry, and they made their way back toward the door into the Great Hall. As they passed Amos Diggory, he looked around.**

"**There you are, are you?" he said, looking Harry up and down.** "**Bet you're not feeling quite as full of yourself now Cedrics caught you up on points, are you?"**

"We're tied?" Harry asked he never dreamed he would tie in the cup, he thought he would be last. "Erm…not that I thought I would win…It's just I thought I would be last. I'm only a fourth year!"

Cedric chuckled, "I know what you mean, Harry. But will you excuse my father, he can be a bit of a git when he wants to be." Harry smiled and nodded glad that Cedric understood what he was saying.

"**What?" said Harry.**

"**Ignore him," said Cedric in a low voice to Harry, frowning after his father. "He's been angry ever since Rita Skeeters article about the Triwizard Tournament – you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion."**

Harry moaned, "Great just what I want, more attention." Dumbledore chuckled slightly at the boy's misfortune. "Do I have to go and talk to that women?"

"I'm sure we can make an appointment, something for you to do at that time." Dumbledore said with a small smile and the twinkle in his eyes. Harry let out his breath he had no idea he was holding. He was glad Dumbledore was on his side.

"**Didn't bother to correct her, though, did he?" said Amos Diggory, loudly enough for Harry to hear as he started to walk out of the door with Mrs. Weasley and Bill. "Still… you'll show him, Ced. Beaten him once before, haven't you?"**

"**Rita Skeeter goes out of her way to cause trouble, Amos!" Mrs. Weasley said angrily. "I would have thought you'd know that, working at the Ministry!"**

Mrs. Weasley blushed slightly, Cedric, seeing this smiled lightly at her. "It's alright, Mrs. Weasley. You are right and my father is wrong. He always seems to believe the things said without having proof." Mrs. Weasley nodded slowly.

**Mr. Diggory looked as though he was going to say something angry, but his wife laid a hand on his arm, and he merely shrugged and turned away.**

**Harry had a very enjoyable morning walking over the sunny grounds with Bill and Mrs. Weasley, showing them the Beauxbatons carriage and the Durmstrang ship. Mrs. Weasley was intrigued by the Whomping Willow, which had been planted after she had left school, and reminisced at length about the gamekeeper before Hagrid, a man called Ogg.**

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Hagrid only became gamekeeper after he was expelled. And now we know why the Whomping Willow was planted." Mrs. Weasley said giving Remus a small smile. Remus nodded with a blush, he hated sympathy. He guessed he knew how Harry felt now.

"**How's Percy?" Harry asked as they walked around the greenhouses.**

"**Not good," said Bill.**

"**He's very upset," said Mrs. Weasley, lowering her voice and glancing around. "The Ministry wants to keep Mr. Crouch's disappearance quiet, but Percy's been hauled in for questioning about the instructions Mr. Crouch has been sending in. They seem to think there's a chance they weren't genuinely written by him. Percy's been under a lot of strain. They're not letting him fill in for Mr. Crouch as the fifth judge tonight. Cornelius Fudge is going to be doing it."**

Harry moaned as Percy started mumbling. "They most likely weren't written by Crouch if he has disappeared." Moody said. "He most likely was killed by a group of Death Eaters and they are trying to run the tournament. It was a bad idea to run this tournament."

Dumbledore sighed but nodded in agreement, Alastor was right. They shouldn't have done the tournament.

**They returned to the castle for lunch.** "**Mum - Bill!" said Ron, looking stunned, as he joined the Gryffindor table. "What're you doing here?"**

"**Come to watch Harry in the last task!" said Mrs. Weasley brightly. "I must say, it makes a lovely change, not having to cook. How was your exam?"**

"**Oh… okay," said Ron. "Couldn't remember all the goblin rebels' names, so I invented a few. It's all right," he said, helping himself to a Cornish pasty, while Mrs. Weasley looked stern, "they're all called stuff like Bodrod the Bearded and Urg the Unclean; it wasn't hard."**

Though Mrs. Weasley looked stern Mr. Weasley laughed. "No worries son, I did the same thingin fourth year. Professor Binns is a hard teacher to pay attention too." Dumbledore looked solemn at that, maybe they should get a new History teacher. He had noticed a decline in History of Magic grades then all of the other classes.

**Fred, George, and Ginny came to sit next to them too, and Harry was having such a good time he felt almost as though he were back at the Burrow; he had forgotten to worry about that evening's task, and not until Hermione turned up, halfway through lunch, did he remember that she had had a brainwave about Rita Skeeter.**

"**Are you going to tell us -?"** **Hermione shook her head warningly and glanced at Mrs. Weasley.**

"I wouldn't have minded, Deary. I would want to know because Rita deserves to be in jail rather then left to spread her filthy lies." Mrs. Weasley said. Hermione looked shocked but nodded just the same.

"**Hello, Hermione," said Mrs. Weasley, much more stiffly than usual.**

"**Hello," said Hermione, her smile faltering at the cold expression on Mrs. Weasley's face.**

Mrs. Weasley looked upset at this, "I'm sorry for my behavior, Hermione dear. I have no idea what has gotten into me."

Hermione smiled, "It's okay Mrs. Weasley. I understand, we all have moments like that."

**Harry looked between them, then said, "Mrs. Weasley, you didn't believe that rubbish Rita Skeeter wrote in Witch Weekly, did you? Because Hermione's not my girlfriend."**

Harry and Hermione shivered at that. "That would be like incest!" Hermione and Harry yelled at the same time.

Fred scowled at Harry as Kaitlyn scowled at Hermione, "Trust me," Harry said trying to calm down Fred and Kaitlyn, "Hermione is the sister I never had. I never saw her in a romantic light. That would just be wrong…" Hermione nodded in agreement.

Dumbledore watched with an amusing eye. He had never told the girl but she was indeed adopted. A wizarding family was her real family but he wasn't sure whose. But watching Sirius and Hermione together gave him an idea as to who her birth parents were.

"**Oh!" said Mrs. Weasley "No - of course I didn't!"** **But she became considerably warmer toward Hermione after that.**

Mrs. Weasley turned red at that. She did feel truly bad for the girl who she had been so cold to. She had been such a good friend to Ron before he became a git.

**Harry, Bill, and Mrs. Weasley whiled away the afternoon with a long walk around the castle, and then returned to the Great Hall for the evening feast. Ludo Bagman and Cornelius Fudge had joined the staff table now. Bagman looked quite cheerful, but Cornelius Fudge, who was sitting next to Madame Maxime, looked stern and was not talking. Madame Maxime was concentrating on her plate, and Harry thought her eyes looked red. Hagrid kept glancing along the table at her.**

"They had a fight?" Kaitlyn asked, "I always said that they would make a cute couple." Hermione giggled.

"So did I. Maybe they did date, maybe Skeeter's article about Hagrid being half-giant tore them apart." Hermione suggested with a frown. "We have to keep that woman away from Hogwarts. All she does is start trouble."

"If what you found out is illegal they can send her to Azkaban and she'll lose her job." Harry said hoping to make her feel better. Hermione and Kaitlyn's faces brightened instantly.

**There were more courses than usual, but Harry, who was starting to feel really nervous now, didn't eat much. As the enchanted ceiling overhead began to fade from blue to a dusky purple, Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table, and silence fell.**

"**Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now."**

"I really don't want to go through with this."Harry moaned.

"You'll be okay, Daddy. You've gone through a lot worse later on in your life." Addie said hugging her father closer to her. Kaitlyn just groaned.

"Maybe we should just lock you up so you don't get hurt." She suggested. Hermione nodded in agreement as did Sirius and Remus.

Dumbledore sighed this time, "I'm sad to say that we need Harry to keep Voldemort away. He will be coming back soon and when he does Harry is our only hope to stop him." Kaitlyn and Hermione groaned at that. They just wanted him to be safe, not running off to finish a war.

**Harry got up. The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding him; the Weasleys and Hermione all wished him good luck, and he headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor.**

"**Feeling all right. Harry?" Bagman asked as they went down the stone steps onto the grounds. "Confident?"**

"**I'm okay," said Harry. It was sort of true; he was nervous, but he kept running over all the hexes and spells he had been practicing in his mind as they walked, and the knowledge that he could remember them all made him feel better.**

McGonagall and Severus nodded in approval. Going over spells would be the best thing for him to do.

**They walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy.**

"Poor Quiddatch." Harry mumbled. Kaitlyn giggled as she heard this, "Do you think we can still go flying even thought there is no Ouiddatch this year?" Harry asked Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"I think we can allow flying," Dumbledore agreed. "as long as you do your work at the same time." Harry nodded with a large smile; flying would make his year a whole lot better

**Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions. They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest.**

"Is that so we know where they are if we want to get out?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore nodded, "The maze is supposed to be the most dangerous out of the three challenges."

"**We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?"**

**The champions nodded.**

"**Off you go, then!" said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers.**

"**Good luck. Harry," Hagrid whispered, and the four of them walked away in different directions, to station themselves around the maze. Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.**

"**Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each- Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter,**

"Sweet mother of Merlin!" Harry and Cedric said together. "Congratulations!" They said together again causing them to laugh along with everyone else.

**both of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place – Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"**

**Harry could just make out Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron, and Hermione applauding Fleur politely, halfway up the stands. He waved up at them, and they waved back, beaming at him.**

Bill flushed as Mrs. Weasley and Ginny frowned. Bill thought he might as well get to know Fleur. She seemed like a nice person.

"**So… on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three - two - one -"**

**He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.**

**The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and, whether because they were so tall and thick or because they had been enchanted, the sound of the surrounding crowd was silenced the moment they entered the maze. Harry felt almost as though he were underwater again. He pulled out his wand, muttered, "Lumos," and heard Cedric do the same just behind him.** **After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They looked at each other.**

"**See you," Harry said, and he took the left one, while Cedric took the right.**

"At least no one can say you cheated by following each other." George said as Harry and Cedric chuckled at that.

**Harry heard Bagman's whistle for the second time. Krum had entered the maze. Harry sped up. His chosen path seemed completely deserted. He turned right, and hurried on, holding his wand high over his head, trying to see as far ahead as possible. Still, there was nothing in sight.**

Everyone frowned, "Shouldn't there have been enchantments throughout the maze no matter where they went?" Severus asked.

Dumbledore nodded, "This is not good." He stated causing Kaitlyn to grip Harry's arm even tighter.

**Bagman's whistle blew in the distance for the third time. All of the champions were now kept looking behind him. The old feeling that he was being watched was upon him. **

Hermione groaned, "What's the matter, Hermione?" Fred asked.

"When Harry thinks something is up, it normally is." Hermione explained with a frown. "When he thinks someone is out to kill him he is usually right." Harry nodded solemnly causing Kaitlyn to start to shake.

**The maze was growing darker with every passing minute as the sky overhead deepened to navy. He reached a second fork.**

"**Point Me," he whispered to his wand, holding it flat in his palm.**

Dumbledore and the rest of the adults nodded in approval. The 'point me' charm would help him immensely.

**The wand spun around once and pointed toward his right, into solid hedge. That way was north, and he knew that he needed to go northwest for the center of the maze. The best he could do was to take the left fork and go right again as soon as possible.**

Moody nodded in approval, the boy _would_ make an amazing Auror.

**The path ahead was empty too, and when Harry reached a right turn and took it, he again found his way unblocked. **

**Harry didn't know why, but the lack of obstacles was unnerving him. Surely he should have met something by now? It felt as though the maze were luring him into a false sense of security. Then he heard movement right behind him. He held out his wand, ready to attack, but its beam fell only upon Cedric, who had just hurried out of a path on the right-hand side.**

**Cedric looked severely shaken. The sleeve of his robe was smoking.**

Cedric moaned, "You have some luck, you know that?" he asked Harry.

'It's not always good." Harry admitted, "It almost gets me killed more times than not." He was thinking specifically of the Chamber of Secrets and the Sorcerer's Stone.

"**Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts!" he hissed. "They're enormous - I only just got away!"**

**He shook his head and dived out of sight, along another path. Keen to put plenty of distance between himself and the skrewts, Harry hurried off again. Then, as he turned a corner, he saw… a dementor gliding toward him. Twelve feet tall, its face hidden by its hood, its rotting, scabbed hands outstretched, it advanced, sensing its way blindly toward him. Harry could hear its rattling breath; he felt clammy coldness stealing over him, but knew what he had to do…**

Harry started to shake, he really, _really _hated dementors. He hated the memories that they brought with them.

**He summoned the happiest thought he could, concentrated with all his might on the thought of getting out of the maze and celebrating with Ron and Hermione, raised his wand, and cried, "Expecto Patronum!"**

The two said people looked up in shock, "You think of us?" they asked. Harry just nodded he didn't want to get into it now.

**A silver stag erupted from the end of Harry's wand and galloped toward the Dementor, which fell back and tripped over the hem of its robes… Harry had never seen a Dementor stumble.**

"It's a Boggart!" Kaitlyn and Addie said at the same time causing Allie to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked the young girl.

"Just listen." She said as she continued to read.

"**Hang on!" he shouted, advancing in the wake of his silver Patronus, "You're a Boggart! Riddikulus!"**

Allie laughed again, "Addie you act so much like your Dad it's funny."

Addie groaned, "Mum says she's not so sure that's a good thing."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Kate." Harry said. Kaitlyn smiled but blushed at the nickname, he never even allowed her father to call her that.

**There was a loud crack, and the shape-shifter exploded in a wisp of smoke. The silver stag faded from sight. Harry wished it could have stayed, he could have used some company… but he moved on, quickly and quietly as possible, listening hard, his wand held high once more.**

**Left… right… left again… Twice he found himself facing dead ends. He did the Four-Point Spell again and found that he was going too far east. He turned back, took a right turn, and saw an odd golden mist floating ahead of him.**

Severus and McGonagall stiffened, they knew what it was but they were sure Harry wouldn't know how to deal with it.

**Harry approached it cautiously, pointing the wand's beam at it. This looked like some kind of enchantment. He wondered whether he might be able to blast it out of the way.**

"Won't work. McGonagall mumbled.

"**Reducio!" he said.**

**The spell shot straight through the mist, leaving it intact. He supposed he should have known better; the Reductor Curse was for solid objects. What would happen if he walked through the mist? Was it worth chancing it, or should he double back?**

**He was still hesitating when a scream shattered the silence.**

"**Fleur?" Harry yelled.**

Bill stiffened. "Oh great," Kaitlyn moaned. Harry looked at her in confusion, "Did anyone ever tell you that you have a hero-complex?"

"A what?" he asked in confusion.

"A hero-complex is when someone feels like they need to save everyone no matter what the circumstances. And if you cannot save them you feel as if it's your fault for their deaths." Hermione explained. Harry looked shocked but didn't say anything against it.

**There was silence. He stared all around him. What had happened to her? Her scream seemed to have come from somewhere ahead. He took a deep breath and ran through the enchanted mist.**

"Bloody Gryffindor." Severus murmured as Kaitlyn smacked him in the arm as if to say 'I-am-a-Gryffindor-as-well'. Severus sighed but said nothing else causing Kaitlyn to smirk.

**The world turned upside down. Harry was hanging from the ground, with his hair on end, his glasses dangling off his nose, threatening to fall into the bottomless sky. He clutched them to the end of his nose and hung there, terrified. It felt as though his feet were glued to the grass, which had now become the ceiling. Below him the dark, star-spangled heavens stretched endlessly. He felt as though if he tried to move one of his feet, he would fall away from the earth completely.**

**Think, he told himself, as all the blood rushed to his head, think…**

**But not one of the spells he had practiced had been designed to combat a sudden reversal of ground and sky. Did he dare move his foot? He could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He had two choices - try and move, or send up red sparks, and get rescued and disqualified from the task.**

"I'd go for disqualified." Kaitlyn murmured in his ear. Harry just smirked before kissing her check. Severus was scowling at nothing as he watched from the corner of his eyes.

**He shut his eyes, so he wouldn't be able to see the view of endless space below him, and pulled his right foot as hard as he could away from the grassy ceiling.**

McGonagall sighed, he had figured it out. Now he could continue on without a problem.

**Immediately, the world righted itself. Harry fell forward onto his knees onto the wonderfully solid ground. He felt temporarily limp with shock. He took a deep, steadying breath, then got up again and hurried forward, looking back over his shoulder as he ran away from the golden mist, which twinkled innocently at him in the moonlight.**

**He paused at a junction of two paths and looked around for some sign of Fleur. He was sure it had been she who had screamed. What had she met? Was she all right? There was no sign of red sparks - did that mean she had got herself out of trouble, or was she in such trouble that she couldn't reach her wand? Harry took the right fork with a feeling of increasing unease… but at the same time, he couldn't help thinking. One champion down…**

"Harry James Potter!" Kaitlyn, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley yelled. Harry just flushed.

"This hasn't happened yet and I highly doubt that it will happen the same way again." Harry said looking down not being able to meet anyone's eyes.

**The cup was somewhere close by, and it sounded as though Fleur was no longer in the running. He'd got this far, hadn't he? What if he actually managed to win? Fleetingly, and for the first time since he'd found himself champion, he saw again that image of himself, raising the Triwizard Cup in front of the rest of the school…**

Severus murmured something that sounded like, "Arrogant."

**He met nothing for ten minutes, but kept running into dead ends. Twice he took the same wrong turning. Finally, he found a new route and started to jog along it, his wandlight waving, making his shadow flicker and distort on the hedge walls.**

**Then he rounded another corner and found himself facing a Blast-Ended Skrewt. Cedric was right - it was enormous. Ten feet long, it looked more like a giant scorpion than anything. Its long sting was curled over its back. Its thick armor glinted in the light from Harry's wand, which he pointed at it.**

"Those things are bloody dangerous!" Mrs. Weasley shouted at Dumbledore.

"That is the purpose of the tasks, Molly Dear." Mr. Weasley said softly rubbing her back, hoping to make her feel better.

"**Stupefy!"**

**The spell hit the skrewt's armor and rebounded; Harry ducked just in time, but could smell burning hair; it had singed the top of his head. The skrewt issued a blast of fire from its end and flew forward toward him.**

Kaitlyn was almost shaking as Allie read this. Harry didn't know how to calm her, Addie saw this and moved back into her grandfathers lap. Harry nodded in thanks to her as he wrapped both of his arms around Kaitlyn and rubbed her back as she buried her face in his chest.

"**Impedimenta!" Harry yelled. The spell hit the skrewt's armor again and ricocheted off; Harry staggered back a few paces and fell over.**

"**IMPEDIMENTA!"**

**The skrewt was inches from him when it froze - he had managed to hit it on its fleshy, shell-less underside. Panting, Harry pushed himself away from it and ran, hard, in the opposite direction - the Impediment Curse was not permanent; the skrewt would be regaining the use of its legs at any moment.**

Everyone let out a breath as Harry got away from the dangerous creature. "I don't care about the bloody war anymore, he is going to be locked in a tower where he cannot get hurt and Lily cannot blame me if he gets hurt." Sirius started to murmur scenarios. Remus and Tonks moved away from him slightly as they thought he was going crazy.

**He took a left path and hit a dead end, a right, and hit another; forcing himself to stop, heart hammering, he performed the Four-Point Spell again, backtracked, and chose a path that would take him northwest.**

**He had been hurrying along the new path for a few minutes, when he heard something in the path running parallel to his own that made him stop dead.**

"**What are you doing?" yelled Cedric's voice. "What the hell d'you think you're doing?"**

"What the bloody hell is going on now?" Charlie almost demanded, he was so worried he didn't even hear his mother scolding him.

**And then Harry heard Krum's voice.**

"**Crucio!"**

There was a loud uproar at that; Cedric was pale at the thought of being in unimaginable pain. Once everyone calmed down Allie continued to read in a shaky voice.

**The air was suddenly full of Cedric's yells. Horrified, Harry began sprinting up his path, trying to find a way into Cedric's. When none appeared, he tried the Reductor Curse again. It wasn't very effective, but it burned a small hole in the hedge through which Harry forced his leg, kicking at the thick brambles and branches until they broke and made an opening; he struggled through it, tearing his robes, and looking to his right, saw Cedric jerking and twitching on the ground, Krum standing over him.**

"Even though that is illegal in the tournament, I'm sure we can make an acceptation. You were trying to help a fellow student." Dumbledore said the twinkle in his eye gone. He was not too pleased with Mr. Krum at the moment. He wasn't pleased with anyone who tried to kill or hurt his students.

**Harry pulled himself up and pointed his wand at Krum just as Krum looked up. Krum turned and began to run.**

"**Stupefy!" Harry yelled.**

**The spell hit Krum in the back; he stopped dead in his tracks, fell forward, and lay motionless, face down in the grass. Harry dashed over to Cedric, who had stopped twitching and was lying there panting, his hands over his face.**

"Thanks for the help, Harry." Cedric said in a detached voice.

"No problem, Cedric. But you do realize that no one will let that happen now?" Harry said breaking Cedric out of his stupor. Cedric smiled and nodded to Harry and then went back to looking at the book.

"**Are you all right?" Harry said roughly, grabbing Cedric's arm.**

"**Yeah," panted Cedric. "Yeah… I don't believe it… he crept up behind me… I heard him, I turned around, and he had his wand on me…"** **Cedric got up. He was still shaking. He and Harry looked down at Krum.**

"**I can't believe this… I thought he was all right," Harry said, staring at Krum.**

"**So did I," said Cedric.**

"**Did you hear Fleur scream earlier?" said Harry.**

"**Yeah," said Cedric. "You don't think Krum got her too?"**

"**I don't know," said Harry slowly.**

"I wouldn't doubt that as this point." Fred grumbled. He knew Krum had a thing for Hermione and now he wasn't going to let him.

"**Should we leave him here?" Cedric muttered.**

"**No," said Harry. "I reckon we should send up red sparks. Someone'll come and collect him… otherwise he'll probably be eaten by a skrewt."**

McGonagall nodded, he thought that Krum needed worse but Harry had a pure soul. Harry would never let anyone get hurt even if they were an enemy.

"**He'd deserve it," Cedric muttered, but all the same, he raised his wand and shot a shower of red sparks into the air, which hovered high above Krum, marking the spot where he lay.**

**Harry and Cedric stood there in the darkness for a moment, looking around them.**

**Then Cedric said, "Well… I s'pose we'd better go on…"**

"**What?" said Harry. "Oh… yeah… right…"**

**It was an odd moment. He and Cedric had been briefly united against Krum – now the fact that they were opponents came back to Harry. The two of them proceeded up the dark path without speaking, then Harry turned left, and Cedric right.**

**Cedric's footsteps soon died away.**

"Even if we are opponents in the tournament, Harry, you'll still be a good mate to have." Cedric said. Harry nodded with a smile. Having Cedric as a friend would prove interesting.

**Harry moved on, continuing to use the Four-Point Spell, making sure he was moving in the right direction. It was between him and Cedric now. His desire to reach the cup first was now burning stronger than ever, but he could hardly believe what he'd just seen Krum do. The use of an Unforgivable Curse on a fellow human being meant a life term in Azkaban, that was what Moody had told them. Krum surely couldn't have wanted the Triwizard Cup that badly… Harry sped up.**

Hermione thought for a moment, "What if he was under the imperious curse?" she asked as her face lit up.

Dumbledore and Moody nodded, that was plausible. Actually it was more than likely.

**Every so often he hit more dead ends, but the increasing darkness made him feel sure he was getting near the heart of the maze. Then, as he strode down a long, straight path, he saw movement once again, and his beam of wandlight hit an extraordinary creature, one which he had only seen in picture form, in his Monster Book of Monsters.**

**It was a sphinx.**

Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and Kaitlyn gasped. If the question was too hard for Harry and he tried to answer it the Sphinx would kill him, unless Harry was smart and walked away.

**It had the body of an over-large lion: great clawed paws and a long yellowish tail ending in a brown tuft. Its head, however, was that of a woman. She turned her long, almond-shaped eyes upon Harry as he approached. He raised his wand, hesitating. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side of the path, blocking his progress. Then she spoke, in a deep, hoarse voice.**

"**You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me."**

"**So… so will you move, please?" said Harry, knowing what the answer was going to be.**

"**No," she said, continuing to pace. "Not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer on your first guess - I let you pass. Answer wrongly - I attack. Remain silent – I will let you walk away from me unscathed."**

Kaitlyn was silently praying that he would walk away and find another way to the cup, but she knew Harry's Gryffindor side would come out and he would try to answer the question anyway.

**Harry's stomach slipped several notches. It was Hermione who was good at this sort of thing, not him. He weighed his chances. If the riddle was too hard, he could keep silent, get away from the sphinx unharmed, and try and find an alternative route to the center.**

"A very good idea, Harry." Remus agreed. Harry nodded with a smile, it was good to have Remus on your side.

"**Okay," he said. "Can I hear the riddle?"**

**The sphinx sat down upon her hind legs, in the very middle of the path, and recited:**

_"__**First think of the person who lives in disguise,**_

_**Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies.**_

_**Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,**_

_**The middle of middle and end of the end?**_

_**And finally give me the sound often heard**_

_**During the search for a hard-to-find word.**_

_**Now string them together, and answer me this,**_

_**Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"**_

Ron instantly mumbled 'Spider' but no one heard him. He started to shake as everyone else looked stumped.

**Harry gaped at her.**

"**Could I have it again… more slowly?" he asked tentatively. She blinked at him, smiled, and repeated the poem. "All the clues add up to a creature I wouldn't want to kiss?" Harry asked.**

**She merely smiled her mysterious smile. **

**Harry took that for a "yes." **

**Harry cast his mind around. There were plenty of animals he wouldn't want to kiss; his immediate thought was a Blast-Ended Skrewt, but something told him that wasn't the answer. He'd have to try and work out the clues…**

Hermione was nodding in approval at his decision. That would be the best way for him to figure it out.

**"A person in disguise," Harry muttered, staring at her, "who lies… er… that'd be a - an impostor. No, that's not my guess! A - a spy? I'll come back to that… could you give me the next clue again, please?"**

"Very good, Mr. Potter, I do believe that is the best way to find the answer." McGonagall said in shock, she knew Hermione could figure it out within minutes but she never thought Harry had the use of logic.

**She repeated the next lines of the poem.**

"'**The last thing to mend,'" Harry repeated. "Er… no idea… 'middle of middle'… could I have the last bit again?"**

**She gave him the last four lines.**

"'**The sound often heard during the search for a hard-to-find word,'" said Harry. "Er… that'd be… er… hang on - 'er'! Er's a sound!"**

**The sphinx smiled at him.**

Hermione's mind was working in overdrive as she tried to figure it out. Finally she gasped and whispered 'Spider" only Fred and Allie heard. Fred looked shocked before breaking out into a smile. Allie just chuckled slightly.

"**Spy… er… spy… er…" said Harry, pacing up and down."A creature I wouldn't want to kiss… a spider!"**

**The sphinx smiled more broadly. She got up, stretched her front legs, and then moved aside for him to pass.**

"**Thanks!" said Harry, and, amazed at his own brilliance, he dashed forward.**

"Very good, my boy, very good." Dumbledore said with a smile. He was very glad Harry had the use of logic when needed. He couldn't always count on Miss. Granger, you never know when she's not going to be there.

**He had to be close now, he had to be… His wand was telling him he was bang on course; as long as he didn't meet anything too horrible, he might have a chance…**

**Harry broke into a run. He had a choice of paths up ahead. "Point Me!" he whispered again to his wand, and it spun around and pointed him to the right-hand one. He dashed up this one and saw light ahead.**

**The Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away. Suddenly a dark figure hurtled out onto the path in front of him.**

"Cedric!" Everyone yelled.

Cedric blushed he was glad he was there. Maybe they could work together to win the cup for Hogwarts.

**Cedric was going to get there first. Cedric was sprinting as fast as he could toward the cup, and Harry knew he would never catch up, Cedric was much taller, had much longer legs -**

**Then Harry saw something immense over a hedge to his left, moving quickly along a path that intersected with his own; it was moving so fast Cedric was about to run into it, and Cedric, his eyes on the cup, had not seen it –**

"**Cedric!" Harry bellowed. "On your left!"**

"Thanks, Harry." Cedric said paling slightly. Severus looked shocked, not once would James Potter do that if there was eternal glory involved. He then looked at Harry as he was hugging his daughter. He knew he could never see the boy as 'James Potter' ever again.

**Cedric looked around just in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it, but in his haste, he tripped. Harry saw Cedric's wand fly out of his hand as a gigantic spider stepped into the path and began to bear down upon Cedric.**

If one listened hard enough you could hear Cedric say 'damn it' as everyone else in the room gasped.

"**Stupefy!" Harry yelled; the spell hit the spider's gigantic, hairy black body, but for all the good it did, he might as well have thrown a stone at it; the spider jerked, scuttled around, and ran at Harry instead.**

Kaitlyn and Hermione groaned at that as Harry chuckled, "See Cedric?" Harry asked. "That right there is my two sided luck, on one hand I could have all the luck in the world, and on the other hand my luck could be the worst." Cedric, who was as pale as Nearly Headless Nick, just nodded as if to say 'I understand'.

"**Stupefy! Impedimenta! Stupefy!"**

**But it was no use - the spider was either so large, or so magical, that the spells were doing no more than aggravating it. Harry had one horrifying glimpse of eight shining black eyes and razor-sharp pincers before it was upon him.**

Ron started to whimper and shake even harder. Fred was watching him and he felt bad. It was him who caused his pear of spiders when he turned Ron's teddy bear into a spider. But in his defense it was accidental magic so he had no idea he did it at the time.

**He was lifted into the air in its front legs; struggling madly, he tried to kick it; his leg connected with the pincers and next moment he was in excruciating pain. He could hear Cedric yelling "Stupefy!" too, but his spell had no more effect than Harry's - Harry raised his wand as the spider opened its pincers once more and shouted "Expelliarmus!"**

**It worked - the Disarming Spell made the spider drop him, but that meant that Harry fell twelve feet onto his already injured leg, which crumpled beneath him. **

Kaitlyn was hugging Harry tighter as Addie was becoming frightened as well and hugged her grandfather tighter.

**Without pausing to think, he aimed high at the spider's underbelly, as he had done with the skrewt, and shouted "Stupefy!'' just as Cedric yelled the same thing.**

**The two spells combined did what one alone had not: The spider keeled over sideways, flattening a nearby hedge, and strewing the path with a tangle of hairy legs.**

"Wow." Harry and Cedric said at the same time causing others to chuckle without much enthusiasm. They had just stunned the spider, a very large spider at that.

"**Harry!" he heard Cedric shouting. "You all right? Did it fall on you?"**

"**No," Harry called back, panting. He looked down at his leg. It was bleeding freely. He could see some sort of thick, gluey secretion from the spider's pincers on his torn robes. **

"That's not good, Mr. Potter." Severus started to fret. "Those spiders are poisonous. If that gets in the wound and it is not treated soon you will become very sick and possibly die." Kaitlyn just groaned more.

**He tried to get up, but his leg was shaking badly and did not want to support his weight. He leaned against the hedge, gasping for breath, and looked around.**

**Cedric was standing feet from the Triwizard Cup, which was gleaming behind him.**

Said boy was looking conflicted, he wanted the trophy as a win for Hufflepuff yet he wanted Harry to win as well because of all of the help he had given him.

"**Take it, then," Harry panted to Cedric. "Go on, take it. You're there."**

**But Cedric didn't move. He merely stood there, looking at Harry. Then he turned to stare at the cup. Harry saw the longing expression on his face in its golden light. Cedric looked around at Harry again, who was now holding onto the hedge to support himself. Cedric took a deep breath.**

"**You take it. You should win. That's twice you've saved my neck in here."**

Cedric sighed in relief, he knew it was the right thing to do. Harry had saved his neck numerous times.

"Cedric, you should have just taken it." Harry argued. Cedric saw that if he argued Harry would argue right back. He just shook his head and motioned for Allie to continue before Harry could say anything else.

"**That's not how it's supposed to work," Harry said. He felt angry; his leg was very painful, he was aching all over from trying to throw off the spider, and after all his efforts, Cedric had beaten him to it, just as he'd beaten Harry to ask Cho to the ball. "The one who reaches the cup first gets the points. That's you. I'm telling you, I'm not going to win any races on this leg."**

"Wait what?" Harry asked. "I like Cho and all but I don't like her _that_ way!" Cedric looked relieved at that.

Addie just chuckled, "Your future self read this as well an you were confused. That didn't really happen, you tried to ask out Mum but Draco was taking her. You wound up taking Aunt Ginny."

Harry scowled at the thought of Draco taking Kaitlyn out but said nothing. He then motioned for Allie to continue.

**Cedric took a few paces nearer to the Stunned spider, away from the cup, shaking his head.**

"**No," he said.**

"**Stop being noble," said Harry irritably. **

"Wait?" Hermione said. "This is a huge moment in history! Harry James Potter called someone else noble when he himself is the most noble got of us all!" Everyone chuckled at Hermione's exclamation.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful again after that outburst he had no doubt whom Hermione's parents were. He also figured out why she was adopted by a muggle family.

Harry frowned at that accusation but ignored it. He didn't want to fight at the moment.

"**Just take it, then we can get out of here."**

**Cedric watched Harry steadying himself, holding tight to the hedge.**

"**You told me about the dragons," Cedric said. "I would've gone down in the first task if you hadn't told me what was coming."**

"Thanks for that." Cedric said, "For my future self." Harry nodded with a smile he still wished Cedric would take the damn cup.

"**I had help on that too," Harry snapped, trying to mop up his bloody leg with his robes. "You helped me with the egg - we're square."**

"**I had help on the egg in the first place," said Cedric.**

Everyone but the teachers looked confused at the mention of the egg but they ignored it. It would either be explained later or they would find out when the time came in their time.

"**We're still square," said Harry, testing his leg gingerly; it shook violently as he put weight on it; he had sprained his ankle when the spider had dropped him.**

"**You should've got more points on the second task," said Cedric mulishly. "You stayed behind to get all the hostages. I should've done that."**

"What hostages?" Harry asked, worry etched in his voice. Dumbledore sighed and shook his head, that was the whole purpose of the Yule Ball, to find hostages for the champions to find. Apparently Harry took the threat a little too seriously.

"**I was the only one who was thick enough to take that song seriously!" said Harry bitterly. "Just take the cup!"**

"**No," said Cedric.**

**He stepped over the spider's tangled legs to join Harry, who stared at him. Cedric was serious. He was walking away from the sort of glory Hufflepuff House hadn't had in centuries.**

"Hufflepuff has the dignity that others do not." Cedric said with a solemn voice, "We are loyal to those who deserve loyalty."

"**Go on," Cedric said. He looked as though this was costing him every ounce of resolution he had, but his face was set, his arms were folded, he seemed decided.**

"I am, if I had to make the same decision now I would." Cedric said with a firm voice causing Harry to sigh, there was nothing worse than a decided Hufflepuff.

**Harry looked from Cedric to the cup. For one shining moment, he saw himself emerging from the maze, holding it. He saw himself holding the Triwizard Cup aloft, heard the roar of the crowd, saw Cho's face shining with admiration, more clearly than he had ever seen it before… and then the picture faded, and he found himself staring at Cedric's shadowy, stubborn face.**

"**Both of us," Harry said.**

Dumbledore's face lit up, it would be a double win. And it would make Hogwarts look even better. Not that he really care about that.

"**What?"**

"**We'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory. We'll tie for it."**

"That's…actually…a very good idea, Mr. Potter." McGonagall said in shock.

**Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms.** "**You - you sure?"**

"Of course I'm bloody well sure!" Harry exclaimed, "It's the only way we both win and we get out of there quicker." Kaitlyn glared at Harry when he swore but he said nothing. Cedric blushed at being so stubborn but he knew he was right.

"**Yeah," said Harry. "Yeah… we've helped each other out, haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together."**

**For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldn't believe his ears; then his face split in a grin.** "**You're on," he said. "Come here."**

**He grabbed Harrys arm below the shoulder and helped Harry limp toward the plinth where the cup stood. When they had reached it, they both held a hand out over one of the cup's gleaming handles.** "**On three, right?" said Harry. "One - two - three -"**

**He and Cedric both grasped a handle.**

**Instantly, Harry felt a jerk somewhere behind his navel. His feet had left the ground. He could not unclench the hand holding the Triwizard Cup; it was pulling him onward in a howl of wind and swirling color, Cedric at his side.**

"Was that supposed to happen?" Hermione asked worried.

Dumbledore shook his head, "No, Miss. Granger. That was not supposed to happen. The cup was supposed to let a gold light shine up in the sky and then the teachers were supposed to head into the maze to get the champion or in this case champions." Everyone looked worried at the headmaster's words but said nothing.

Addie, knowing what the next chapter must hold got out of her grandfather's lap and grabbed the book before sitting on the floor in front of him.

"Before we start can I speak to Miss. Granger and Sirius please?" Dumbledore asked with a smile and his twinkling eyes. The two people nodded before a door to their left appeared and the three people disappeared behind it.


	2. Chapter 2 Flesh, Blood, and Bone

**Okay, I plan on updating MAYBE once a day or once a week. It all depends upon when I get the chapters done and when I have time to write. I'll tell you why I chose the names for my OC characters.**

**Adela:**** noble and serene where as 'Addie' means-noble and kind.**

**Kaitlyn:**** pure, and I just really like it.**

**Araxie:**** is a river said to inspire poetic expression**

**Allison:**** of noble birth. Whereas, 'Allie' means defender, or helper of man-kind.**

**Rae:**** a doe (I took James' stag and expanded from there. As Rae is meant to be his sister I thought a doe would be accurate.)**

_**Alright…on with the story!**_

Dumbledore found a chair on the inside that was facing a couch. He sat in the chair and motioned for the two to sit. They sat down and waited in silence as Dumbledore thought of the best way to approach the subject.

"Miss. Granger, what have you been told of your living arrangement?" he finally asked.

Hermione looked down at that. Her parents hadn't meant to tell her but she found the papers, she knew she was adopted. She had no idea who could be her biological parents. It wasn't that she didn't want to know, she really did. She wanted to know who she should have lived with as a child. "I know I was adopted. I wanted to find my parents but I had no idea where to start. My parents didn't want me to know but when I found out they told me flat out that I was adopted."

She didn't mention that her parents and she had been separating since she had started to go to Hogwarts. They were always angry at her for leaving instead of staying with them.

"Miss. Granger, I have an idea who your parents are. I believe Rae Potter and Sirius Black are your parents." Dumbledore said with a sigh as Sirius and Hermione's mouths opened in shock.

"How is that possible Rae died with Fabian and Gideon? She was pregnant at the time but I thought I lost them both." Sirius whispered looking at Hermione. Now that he looked harder she did have Rae's frizzy hair and her eyes.

"I believe Rae is still alive. She ran away when things got hard during the war and you and her brother were the center of it. When she had her daughter she sent her away so she wouldn't be harmed during the first war. I have an idea of where she is but I will have to look farther into it to be sure." Dumbledore said. "If you will allow me to I will perform a spell that will tell us if you two are indeed father/daughter."

Hermione and Sirius nodded at once. Hermione thought it would be amazing if Sirius was her real father. Her adoptive mother and father just didn't understand what she was going through but Sirius would have some idea.

Dumbledore made a few wand movements and soon Hermione's chest was glowing gold as was Sirius'. Little did they know that far away in America a women's heart was glowing the same color. She knew at once what must be happening, her daughter and her husband must have reunited.

She jumped up from her lunch table at the little café and headed towards the nearest air port. She had to talk to Dumbledore.

Back with Sirius and Hermione Dumbledore smiled, "It looks like we have found your father, Miss. Granger."

"If it's alright I'd rather be called Miss. Black. My adoptive mum and dad don't understand me and we have been separating ever since I entered Hogwarts. I want to find a way to clear Sirius' name so I can stay with him." Hermione said with a blush.

Dumbledore smiled a small smile, "I'll give you two sometime. I'll be in the other room if you need me."

Soon Dumbledore left leaving the father and daughter to themselves. "Hermione," Sirius started with a sigh, "I wish I could've known. If I had known I would have told you, no problem. Why I didn't see it before I have no clue. You have your mother's eyes and her hair. You also have her smarts, we had decided upon your name when we were fighting over boys and girls names. My pick was Hermione as hers was Mandy, which makes me feel even worse for not recognizing you. All of the signs were there but I just never put them together."

"It's okay Sirius." Hermione paused for a minute, "Ca-can I call you Dad?" She asked. "I know we just found out and everything but I really feel like I can talk to you more than my adoptive father."

To stop the girl from her ramblings he grabbed her in a huge hug. "I would be _honored_ if you called me Dad." Hermione started to let tears fall and soon she was sobbing in her father's chest. Sirius just hugged her back and rubbed her back trying to comfort the girl.

Soon Hermione's sobs started to stop. "So what do you want to do when we head back in there?" he asked.

"I guess the best way to go would be to tell the truth and tell them what we found out. And Dad, you'd better be nice to Kaitlyn and Professor Snape." Hermione said mock glaring at her father.

"Aright, alright! Geez, you act just like your mother." Sirius said with a smile, he held out his hand as he got up and helped Hermione to her feet. Hermione just smiled at the thought of being like her mother she never knew. She knew at that moment how Harry felt when people told him he looked and acted like his parents.

They walked hand in hand back to the main room. They had a few stares at their holding hands, Dumbledore just smiled. "So…erm…we found out that I'm adopted." Hermione said making everyone gasp. "My mother was Rae Potter-Black and my father was Sirius Black." That made Harry jump up and give them both a huge hug.

"Do you know what this means, Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione just shook her head in confusion while Sirius laughed, he knew where Harry was going.

"Sirius, was Rae Potter my aunt?" Harry asked. Sirius just nodded. "We're cousins, Hermione." Harry said with a smile.

Hermione just started to laugh, "This is probably the best day of my life right now." As the family was having their reunion Fred was smiling. He was glad Hermione had a family that could understand her. Kaitlyn was smiling as well, Harry had always wanted a family and to find out that your best friend was your cousin that you never knew you had.

"Can I read now?" Addie asked, "This chapter is going to be a hard one to read. If I can get it over with I think we will all be better off." Everyone nodded as she began to read. **"Flesh, Blood, and Bone" **Everyone shivered at the title but said nothing.

**Harry felt his feet slam into the ground; his injured leg gave way, and he fell forward; his hand let go of the Triwizard Cup at last. He raised his head.**

"**Where are we?" he said.**

**Cedric shook his head. He got up, pulled Harry to his feet, and they looked around. They had left the Hogwarts grounds completely; they had obviously traveled miles - perhaps hundreds of miles - for even the mountains surrounding the castle were gone. They were standing instead in a dark and overgrown graveyard; the black outline of a small church was visible beyond a large yew tree to their right. A hill rose above them to their left. Harry could just make out the outline of a fine old house on the hillside.**

**Cedric looked down at the Triwizard Cup and then up at Harry.** "**Did anyone tell you the cup was a Portkey?" he asked.**

"**Nope," said Harry. **

Harry looked at Dumbledore for answers. Dumbledore sighed, "No Harry, the cup was not supposed to be a portkey. I already explained how it was supposed to end. The only thing I can hope is that you figure that out soon and leave." Harry and Cedric nodded though they knew that they would not leave as quickly as he would like.

**He was looking around the graveyard. It was completely silent and slightly eerie. "Is this supposed to be part of the task?"**

Dumbledore shook his head again. That was in no way part of the task, the students would never leave Hogwarts grounds.

"**I dunno," said Cedric. He sounded slightly nervous. "Wands out, d'you reckon?"**

"**Yeah," said Harry, glad that Cedric had made the suggestion rather than him.**

**They pulled out their wands. Harry kept looking around him. He had, yet again, the strange feeling that they were being watched.**

Hermione and Kaitlyn groaned again. When Harry thought he was being watched he was normally right.

"**Someone's coming," he said suddenly.**

**Squinting tensely through the darkness, they watched the figure drawing nearer, walking steadily toward them between the graves. Harry couldn't make out a face, but from the way it was walking and holding its arms, he could tell that it was carrying something. Whoever it was, he was short, and wearing a hooded cloak pulled up over his head to obscure his face. And - several paces nearer, the gap between them closing all the time - Harry saw that the thing in the persons arms looked like a baby… or was it merely a bundle of robes?**

Sirius suddenly stiffened, _the title, the bundle, the graveyard, why did I not see it before?_ Sirius asked himself, he knew what was going on and he was silently praying that Harry and Cedric got out of there soon.

**Harry lowered his wand slightly**

"CONSTANT VIGULANCE!" Moody yelled. Everyone jumped as they were pulled back into reality. They had been so into the book that Moody's outburst scared them all.

**and glanced sideways at Cedric. Cedric shot him a quizzical look. They both turned back to watch the approaching figure. It stopped beside a towering marble headstone, only six feet from them. For a second Harry and Cedric and the short figure simply looked at one another.**

**And then, without warning, Harry's scar exploded with pain. **

Harry paled suddenly knowing that Voldemort must be near. Kaitlyn saw this and pulled him back into a hug. She knew that he would be shutting himself down soon. She then motioned for Addie to continue to read. Addie nodded and continued on with the story.

**It was agony such as he had never felt in all his life; his wand slipped from his fingers as he put his hands over his face; his knees buckled; he was on the ground and he could see nothing at all; his head was about to split open.**

**From far away, above his head, he heard a high, cold voice say, "Kill the spare."**

Everyone gasped; Ginny even gave out a little scream. Cedric looked at Teddy; he knew that this was the moment he would die. Teddy gave him a slight nod, Cedric let out a small sigh. He would die helping a friend and that was the most he could ask from life.

**A swishing noise and a second voice, which screeched the words to the night:** "**Avada Kedavra!"**

Addie's voice shook as she read this, Harry started to sob in Kaitlyn's shoulder. Kaitlyn was crying as well just not as strongly as Harry. Severus was pale, he knew Harry's life must have been hard after the loss of his parents but he never knew that the poor boys luck just got worse and worse.

**A blast of green light blazed through Harry's eyelids, and he heard something heavy fall to the ground beside him; the pain in his scar reached such a pitch that he retched, and then it diminished; terrified of what he was about to see, he opened his stinging eyes.**

**Cedric was lying spread-eagled on the ground beside him. He was dead.**

Cedric just sat there; he was not crying nor was he really that upset. But everyone else in the room was crying or just not feeling what-so-ever. Addie knew that this would be one of the harder chapters to read. She sucked in a breath and continued to read.

**For a second that contained an eternity, Harry stared into Cedric's face, at his open gray eyes, blank and expressionless as the windows of a deserted house, at his half-open mouth, which looked slightly surprised. And then, before Harry's mind had accepted what he was seeing, before he could feel anything but numb disbelief, he felt himself being pulled to his feet.**

"Let him go you bastard!" Sirius yelled, no one touched his godson/nephew and got away with it.

**The short man in the cloak had put down his bundle, lit his wand, and was dragging Harry toward the marble headstone. Harry saw the name upon it flickering in the wand light before he was forced around and slammed against it.**

**TOM RIDDLE**

Ginny gasped and started to shake uncontrollably. Harry knew why but everyone else just looked at her in concern besides Dumbledore. "You do not need to worry, Miss. Weasley, this is Tom Riddle Sr. grave. I'm sad to say that the Riddle we know is not as deceased as we would like." Instead of making Ginny feel better that made Ginny turn green.

She had been writing to _Voldemort_! She had told him all about Harry! All of a sudden she did not feel too great.

**The cloaked man was now conjuring tight cords around Harry, tying him from neck to ankles to the headstone. Harry could hear shallow, fast breathing from the depths of the hood; he struggled, and the man hit him - hit him with a hand that had a finger missing.**

Sirius, Remus, Severus, and Harry had faces of utter hatred on their faces. "That lying, treacherous bastard!" Remus shouted. The twins looked at him in shock; they had never seen their professor act like that. He was normally so prim and proper.

"What?" Remus asked the incredulous looks, "I was a Marauder as well."

At that the twins eyes must have shot out of their heads, "You-you're the Mar-Marauders?" They asked.

Sirius and Remus nodded slowly, wondering where this was going, "I'm Padfoot, this is Moony, Harry's father, James, was Prongs, and that lying treacherous bastard was Wormtail."

Soon Fred and George were running up to their hero's and hugging them to death. Finally the laughter died down and Addie was able to read again.

**And Harry realized who was under the hood. It was Wormtail.**

There were a few snarls at the use of his Marauder name.

"**You!" he gasped.**

**But Wormtail, who had finished conjuring the ropes, did not reply; he was busy checking the tightness of the cords, his fingers trembling uncontrollably, rumbling over the knots. Once sure that Harry was bound so tightly to the headstone that he couldn't move an inch, Wormtail drew a length of some black material from the inside of his cloak and stuffed it roughly into Harry's mouth;**

Sirius and Remus were so angry they didn't know what to do with themselves. Their once best mate was betraying them in the worst possible way. He had killed their best mate by betraying him to Voldemort, killed one of Harry's friends in cold blood, and now he was hurting Harry. They swore that if either of them got their hands on the rat they would kill him, Harry or no Harry.

**then, without a word, he turned from Harry and hurried away. Harry couldn't make a sound, nor could he see where Wormtail had gone; he couldn't turn his head to see beyond the headstone; he could see only what was right in front of him.**

**Cedric's body was lying some twenty feet away. Some way beyond him, glinting in the starlight, lay the Triwizard Cup. Harry's wand was on the ground at Cedric's feet. **

Moody grunted at that as Tonks' hair turned a deep purple in worry. Teddy's hair changed as well but his hair was changing constantly. It kept switching from purple to blue to red to black.

**The bundle of robes that Harry had thought was a baby was close by, at the foot of the grave. It seemed to be stirring fretfully. Harry watched it, and his scar seared with pain again… and he suddenly knew that he didn't want to see what was in those robes… he didn't want that bundle opened…**

Severus then realized what was going on, "No you really don't." He finally said in a hallow voice; if the Dark Lord came back there was a very large chance that he would force Kaitlyn into getting the dark mark. He didn't want that for his daughter. He didn't want her to make the same mistakes that he did.

**He could hear noises at his feet. He looked down and saw a gigantic snake slithering through the grass, circling the headstone where he was tied. Wormtail's fast, wheezy breathing was growing louder again. It sounded as though he was forcing something heavy across the ground. Then he came back within Harry's range of vision, and Harry saw him pushing a stone cauldron to the foot of the grave. It was full of what seemed to be water – **

"Damnit!" Sirius and Severus exclaimed. They looked at each other but instead of glaring they nodded. That confirmed both of their fears. Everyone around them looked at them in shock, they had no idea what was going on but it didn't sound good.

**Harry could hear it slopping around - and it was larger than any cauldron Harry had ever used; a great stone belly large enough for a full-grown man to sit in.**

**The thing inside the bundle of robes on the ground was stirring more persistently, as though it was trying to free itself. Now Wormtail was busying himself at the bottom of the cauldron with a wand. Suddenly there were crackling flames beneath it. The large snake slithered away into the darkness. The liquid in the cauldron seemed to heat very fast. The surface began not only to bubble, but to send out fiery sparks, as though it were on fire. Steam was thickening, blurring the outline of Wormtail tending the fire. The movements beneath the robes became more agitated. And Harry heard the high, cold voice again.**

"**Hurry!"**

Everyone froze at that thought. Harry started to pale and turn an almost green color. He looked directly at his potions master. Severus looked the boy in the eyes and nodded. Harry closed his eyes and sighed, trying to calm himself. He didn't want to know what he was going to go through this time.

**The whole surface of the water was alight with sparks now. It might have been encrusted with diamonds.**

"**It is ready Master."**

"**Now…" said the cold voice.**

**Wormtail pulled open the robes on the ground, revealing what was inside them, and Harry let out a yell that was strangled in the wad of material blocking his mouth.**

"It must be really bad to have Harry yell." Neville said softly. Luna nodded in agreement her usual dreamy expression gone from her face.

**It was as though Wormtail had flipped over a stone and revealed something ugly, slimy, and blind - but worse, a hundred times worse. The thing Wormtail had been carrying had the shape of a crouched human child, except that Harry had never seen anything less like a child. It was hairless and scaly-looking, a dark, raw, reddish black. Its arms and legs were thin and feeble, and its face - no child alive ever had a face like that - flat and snakelike, with gleaming red eyes.**

Everyone in the room began to shake, Addie started to turn green. She might be sick but Severus pulled a potion out of his robes and handed it to the girl. It was a stomach soothing solution. He then proceeded to take the book out of the child's hands and continued to read.

**The thing seemed almost helpless; it raised its thin arms, put them around Wormtail's neck, and Wormtail lifted it. As he did so, his hood fell back, and Harry saw the look of revulsion on Wormtail's weak, pale face in the firelight as he carried the creature to the rim of the cauldron. For one moment, Harry saw the evil, flat face illuminated in the sparks dancing on the surface of the potion. And then Wormtail lowered the creature into the cauldron; there was a hiss, and it vanished below the surface; Harry heard its frail body hit the bottom with a soft thud.**

**Let it drown, Harry thought, his scar burning almost past endurance, please… let it drown…**

Harry himself was thinking the same thing as were some others in the room though they knew it was of no use, it wasn't going to drown, the potion was made for something much more sinister.

**Wormtail was speaking. His voice shook; he seemed frightened beyond his wits. He raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night.**

"Git deserves to be frightened." Sirius muttered.

"**Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"**

**The surface of the grave at Harry's feet cracked. Horrified, Harry watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron. The diamond surface of the water broke and hissed; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous-looking blue.**

Even Severus was shaking at this point and he was infallible.

**And now Wormtail was whimpering. He pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his cloak. His voice broke into petrified sobs.**

"**Flesh - of the servant - w-willingly given - you will - revive - your master."**

"As much as I don't want this potion continued I am glad the bastard lost a hand."Remus said. He had read about this potion before and it needed one more ingredient…he just couldn't put his finger on it.

**He stretched his right hand out in front of him - the hand with the missing finger. He gripped the dagger very tightly in his left hand and swung it upward.**

**Harry realized what Wormtail was about to do a second before it happened – he closed his eyes as tightly as he could,**

All of the adults nodded in approval. They never wanted s boy to go through all of the things he has done.

**but he could not block the scream that pierced the night, that went through Harry as though he had been stabbed with the dagger too. He heard something fall to the ground, heard Wormtail's anguished panting, then a sickening splash, as something was dropped into the cauldron.**

Allie, this time was the one who was looking sick. Severus levitated the same potion he had given Addie to Allie. As she took the potion her color was regained and she felt a lot better.

**Harry couldn't stand to look… but the potion had turned a burning red; the light of it shone through Harry's closed eyelids…**

**Wormtail was gasping and moaning with agony. Not until Harry felt Wormtail's anguished breath on his face did he realize that Wormtail was right in front of him.**

Remus let out a gasp as he remembered the last ingredient, "If he hurts you he will be at the top of my list!" Sirius and surprisingly Severus nodded. Mrs. Weasley nodded as well though no one caught it.

Severus vowed that no harm would come to Harry, he had made that promise to his mother and now that his own daughter was in love with him that backed up his promise ten-fold.

"**B-blood of the enemy… forcibly taken… you will… resurrect your foe."**

**Harry could do nothing to prevent it, he was tied too tightly… Squinting down, struggling hopelessly at the ropes binding him, he saw the shining silver dagger shaking in Wormtails remaining hand. He felt its point penetrate the crook of his right arm and blood seeping down the sleeve of his torn robes. Wormtail, still panting with pain, rumbled in his pocket for a glass vial and held it to Harry's cut, so that a dribble of blood fell into it.**

There were a lot of shouts of anger in the room, some of the loudest coming from Cedric, Kaitlyn, Hermione, Sirius, and Remus. Addie was quite angry as well she accidently made the windows in the room burst; Allie was trying to calm her best friend to no avail.

After twenty minutes they were calm enough for Severus to continue to read. Little did they know that at Hogwarts at this moment in time was a frizzy haired woman with brown eyes, looking for the room of requirement.

**He staggered back to the cauldron with Harrys blood. He poured it inside. The liquid within turned, instantly, a blinding white. Wormtail, his job done, dropped to his knees beside the cauldron, then slumped sideways and lay on the ground, cradling the bleeding stump of his arm, gasping and sobbing.**

**The cauldron was simmering, sending its diamond sparks in all directions, so blindingly bright that it turned all else to velvety blackness. Nothing happened…**

**Let it have drowned. Harry thought, let it have gone wrong…**

Severus shook his head, the signs were that the potion was done correctly. He wished it was not true but it was.

**And then, suddenly, the sparks emanating from the cauldron were extinguished. A surge of white steam billowed thickly from the cauldron instead, obliterating everything in front of Harry, so that he couldn't see Wormtail or Cedric or anything but vapor hanging in the air… It's gone wrong, he thought… it's drowned… please… please let it be dead…**

**But then, through the mist in front of him, he saw, with an icy surge of terror, the dark outline of a man, tall and skeletally thin, rising slowly from inside the cauldron.**

There was a collective gasp throughout the room; they knew what that mean then.

**"Robe me," said the high, cold voice from behind the steam, and Wormtail, sobbing and moaning, still cradling his mutilated arm, scrambled to pick up the black robes from the ground, got to his feet, reached up, and pulled them one handed over his master's head.**

**The thin man stepped out of the cauldron, staring at Harry… and Harry stared back into the face that had haunted his nightmares for three years. Whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat as a snakes with slits for nostrils…**

**Lord Voldemort had risen again.**

There were sobs coming from Mrs. Weasley and sniffles coming from McGonagall. Kaitlyn was clutching harry with all of the strength she had.

Harry slowly worked his way out of Kaitlyn's arms and into a room that had just appeared. Severus made to follow him but Addie held on to him and shook her head. Kaitlyn watched him as the door closed.

She got up off of the couch and headed after him. As the door disappeared another door appeared and a woman with frizzy hair, brown eyes, and a face almost exactly like James Potter's came through.

Sirius sucked in a breath as tears came to his eyes, "Rae."


	3. Chapter 3 Prior Incantatem

Once Sirius recovered from his shock he jumped up from the couch and hugged his wife. She started to laugh as Sirius picked her up and spun her around in a circle before kissing her. She finally pulled away and looked around the room, her eyes landing on Hermione.

Noticing where she was looking Sirius grabbed her hand and led her to Hermione. "Hermione, this is your mother Rae Potter-Black." Sirius said causing the young girl to look shocked.

Hermione slowly got up and wrapped her arms around her mother before she started to cry silently. Rae started to rub her back soothingly. "It's alright, Sweetheart, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

Once Hermione calmed down the family said down to talk, "Where were you, Rae. When I was in Azkaban you dying was one of my worst memories." Sirius admitted. Hermione just hugged her father tightly to try and stop his tears.

Rae sighed, a few tears of her own streaming down her face. "I-I'm so, so sorry, Siri." She cried softly. "I wish I could have told you but after Fabian and Gideon were killed Voldemort himself came and I had to run. When I finally found shelter I gave birth to Hermione. I wanted to keep her but the Death Eaters were after me because of my relation to James and Harry.

"I had to give our baby up to a muggle family in hopes that she could live a relatively normal life away from the war. I then went into hiding in America. I knew that once Dumbledore figured out who she was he would use '_parentes__biologicae_ (1)'. That spell would cause a gold light to shine where our hearts are. I was having lunch when my chest glowed gold. I knew at once that you must be together at Hogwarts, from there I used process of elimination as to where you were.

"I hope you both can forgive me and believe me when I say I never wanted to leave either of you." Rae was crying openly now. Sirius never wanted her to cry so he pulled both of his girls into a large group hug.

The Weasley's were watching from the side lines as were Cedric, Remus, Tonks, Moody, Kingsley, Dumbledore, and Severus. Everyone else was in their own conversations.

All of the Aurors and Dumbledore vowed at that moment to find a way to clear Sirius' name for his family. Dumbledore also vowed to have a talk with the Grangers in hope of having them sign guardianship back over the Blacks.

~Harry and Kaitlyn~

Meanwhile, in the room with Kaitlyn and Harry… "Harry, are you alright?" Kaitlyn asked.

"No I'm not bloody well alright!"He exclaimed, "It's my ruddy fault that he's back and I'm the cause of Cedric's death. He would still be alive if it wasn't for me. And sweet Merlin I'd love to ask you out and be my girlfriend but I'm so bloody scared of you getting hurt that I refuse to ask you out."

Kaitlyn sighed, "Harry, Cedric didn't die and Voldemort hasn't come back yet." Kaitlyn had no problem with saying his name because of the way she grew up. "And if you looked at Adela she is very much alive, and she wouldn't be if I died. If you noticed the only one she was ecstatic to see was Dad. It was as if she never met him but wanted to. It seemed as if she knew us quite well as she said I compared her to you."

Harry sat in a couch that appeared and looked deep in shock. Kaitlyn just sighed and tried again. "Damnit Harry! If I want to fight for mine and my child's freedom I will. It seems as if Dumbledore believes Voldemort will come back with or without your help. We might as well enjoy what life gives us and take the rest as it comes. I plan on finishing the reading with our daughter and our friends; I plan on fighting in this war for her and my father's freedom. I also plan to bring down Voldemort with the information gained her tonight and however long we are here."

"Kaitlyn, if I promise to listen and help change the future, you have to promise me that if something should happen to me that you find someone else and make yourself happy." Harry sighed looking out into space.

"Harry, I cannot be happy without you. Not knowing what we could have had, not knowing that Adela Lily Potter _is_ a possibility. Harry James Potter, I love you and Voldemort would never truly find out about us because as my Dad is a spy he could always say I'm trying to gather information about you." Kaitlyn said. Harry just nodded in a detached manner.

Giving up a pretense Kaitlyn kissed Harry out of his stupor. At first Harry froze but when he felt the love Kaitlyn put into the kiss, he kissed back. They must haves snogged for a good three minutes before they finally broke apart panting.

"I've been a right git about this whole thing, haven't I?" Harry asked looking sheepish.

"Yes, but I forgive you." Kaitlyn said with a giggle.

"Well, then I might as well do this right, because you're Dad is more than likely to hex me if I don't Kaitlyn Araxie Snape will you be my girlfriend?" he asked looking directly into her onyx eyes.

Kaitlyn nodded biting on her lower lip. Harry saw this and kissed her lip lightly, "Don't do that, you'll hurt yourself." Kaitlyn just smiled and grabbed his hand. She helped him up and they headed back out the door. When they appeared Harry froze where Sirius, Hermione, Fred, and Allie were sitting before was a new arrival.

She looked a lot like Hermione except she had a lot of his own features such as his nose and cheek bones. She looked up at him, brown eyes meeting emerald and she smiled."Harry." She said breathlessly as she got up and hugged him tightly.

"Erm…I don't mean to be rude, but…who are you?" That caused Hermione to chuckle as she leaned into Fred. The red-headed boy just smiled down at her.

The lady smiled unshed tears in her eyes, "I'm your Aunt, Harry. I'm also Hermione's mother. I'm Rae Potter-Black, I'm also your godmother, I'm so sorry I couldn't be in your life sooner but I had to wait until Siri and Hermione found each other."

Harry's smile broadened. He was getting a family, one that truly loved him for him. "It's okay Aunt Rae, I'm just glad you can be here now for Hermione and Sirius." He said as Rae moved away from Harry back t her husband. Harry and Kaitlyn slowly made their way back towards their daughter and Severus.

"Who would like to read next?" Addie asked.

"I would, Addie" Teddy said leaving his mother's side to retrieve the book. Addie handed him the book and he returned to his spot next to his mother and father. "**Prior Incantatem," **

"Isn't that the spell that tells what spells were used before?" Hermione asked. Rae and Dumbledore nodded.

"You are correct Miss. Grang-Black. Sorry my mistake, which is going to take some getting used to." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye as Severus and McGonagall nodded as well.

**Wormtail approached Harry, who scrambled to find his feet, to support his own weight before the ropes were untied. Wormtail raised his new silver hand, pulled out the wad of material gagging Harry, and then, with one swipe, cut through the bonds tying Harry to the gravestone. **

"Looks as if we skipped a chapter," Remus mused. Tonks just nodded slowly, she had been thinking the same thing. But why was he letting Harry go?

**There was a split second, perhaps, when Harry might have considered running for it, but his injured leg shook under him as he stood on the overgrown grave, as the Death Eaters closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around him and Voldemort, so that the gaps where the missing Death Eaters should have stood were filled. **

**Wormtail walked out of the circle to the place where Cedric's body lay and returned with Harry's wand, which he thrust roughly into Harry's hand without looking at him. Then Wormtail resumed his place in the circle of watching Death Eaters. **

"You're going to duel him." Kaitlyn stated looking as pale as Nearly Headless Nick. Some of the others in the room paled as well, mostly their daughter who had not been told this story as she was the youngest child.

"**You have been taught how to duel Harry Potter?" said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness. **

**At these words Harry remembered, as though from a former life, the dueling club at Hogwarts he had attended briefly two years ago… All he had learned there was the Disarming Spell, "Expelliarmus"… and what use would it be to deprive Voldemort of his wand, even if he could, when he was surrounded by Death Eaters, outnumbered by at least thirty to one? He had never learned anything that could possibly fit him for this. He knew he was facing the thing against which Moody had always warned… the unblockable Avada Kedavra curse – and Voldemort was right - his mother was not here to die for him this time… He was quite unprotected… **

"Don't say that, never say that." Rae said softly.

"Sir, what is the Avada Kedavra curse? Harry asked, they had not been taught this yet in DADA.

Dumbledore sighed, "As you have seen in the first chapter, 'Crucio' or the cruciatus curse, is the torture curse." Neville flinched at that. "The imperious curse or 'Imperio' is when one person controls another through the means of the curse, and 'Avada Kedavra' or the killing curse, forms the three unforgivable. The use of anyone of them will land you a cell in Azkaban. The 'Avada Kedavra' curse is the one you survived so many years ago."Harry nodded slowly, wishing he had never asked.

"**We bow to each other. Harry," said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his snakelike face upturned to Harry. "Come, the niceties must be observed… Dumbledore would like you to show manners… Bow to death, Harry…" **

Kaitlyn stiffened at that, but she looked at Adela and she knew that Harry must have survived.

**The Death Eaters were laughing again. Voldemorts lipless mouth was smiling. Harry did not bow. He was not going to let Voldemort play with him before killing him… he was not going to give him that satisfaction… **

"Good lad." Moody grunted in approval. Harry was glad to get his approval as that meant he could make a good Auror.

"**I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand - and Harry felt his spine curve as though a huge, invisible hand were bending him ruthlessly forward, and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever. **

All of the women started to tear up at that. No one should ever have to go through that. Even their worst enemies deserved that.

"**Very good," said Voldemort softly, and as he raised his wand the pressure bearing down upon Harry lifted too. "And now you face me, like a man… straight-backed and proud, the way your father died… **

"That was a low blow!" Sirius, Rae, and Remus yelled. Rae started to cry in earnest now. That was her brother that he was talking about. She couldn't believe he could say that so blatantly to the boy.

"**And now - we duel." **

**Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself, before he could even move, he had been hit again by the Cruciatus Curse. **

Kaitlyn was shaking as Harry paled. Cedric was staring at Harry, his mouth open in shock. He knew that you-know-who's unforgivable's were the strongest in the wizarding world at them moment.

**The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that he no longer knew where he was… White-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain, he was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his life – **

Addie and Allie were crying at that as Teddy was staring at his godfather gob smacked. He knew his godfather went through a lot but never in his life did he believe that he went through that kind of torture.

All of the teachers and adults were tearing up in earnest now. Never should a student have to go through what Harry had to go through. He should be at the castle having dinner or watching the tournament from the outside.

**And then it stopped. Harry rolled over and scrambled to his feet; he was shaking as uncontrollably as Wormtail had done when his hand had been cut off; he staggered sideways into the wall of watching Death Eaters, and they pushed him away, back toward Voldemort. **

"**A little break," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement, "a little pause… That hurt, didn't it Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?" **

"That sadistic bastard!" Sirius and Rae shouted. Harry was as pale as death as Kaitlyn held on to him.

"It'll be okay, Harry. We won't let this happen this time around." Kaitlyn whispered as Addie was crying into her grandfathers chest.

**Harry didn't answer. He was going to die like Cedric, those pitiless red eyes were telling him so… he was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it… but he wasn't going to play along. He wasn't going to obey Voldemort… he wasn't going to beg…**

Kaitlyn sat up quickly, she then slapped Harry hard across the face making it red. "Ouch! What the bloody hell was that for?" he asked rubbing his cheek.

"Because you're not going to die, and you are never allowed to say things like that again!" Kaitlyn said tears streaming down her face at the thought of a dead Harry. "And watch your language your daughter is in the room." Harry just sat there in shock as Hermione spoke.

"You know I don't know if he can help thinking those things." She admitted, "He's a pessimist, he believes that everyone is going to die and that it's going to be his fault." Kaitlyn looked thoughtful at that as her father smirked at the purple bruise forming on his future son-in-law's face.

"**I asked you whether you want me to do that again," said Voldemort softly. **

"**Answer me! Imperio" **

**And Harry felt, for the third time in his life, the sensation that his mind had been wiped of all thought…**

"What do I mean by 'the third time'?" Harry asked.

Teddy looked thoughtful, as it was clear that Allie and Addie were not going to be speaking due to tears he took it upon himself to answer. "You said that Professor Moody was trying to teach you all how to throw of the curse and you were thw only one who could do it." Moody looked thoughtful at that, he would never use an unforgivable on students…

**Ah, it was bliss, not to think, it was as though he were floating, dreaming… just answer no… say no… just answer no… **

**I will not, said a stronger voice, in the back of his head, I won't answer… Just answer no… **

**I won't do it, I won't say it… **

**Just answer no… **

"Um…is that supposed to happen?" Rae asked a confused yet shocked expression on her face.

"No, it's not." Dumbledore said the twinkle back in his eye as well as a thoughtful expression. "It seems that young Mr. Potter can throw off the stongest imperious curse ever seen." Harry looked comforted at the thought. He would never hurt the ones he loved because of the imperious curse.

"**I WON'T!" **

There were cheers at that as Harry smiled lightly and Cedric clapped him on the back.

**And these words burst from Harry's mouth; they echoed through the graveyard, and the dream state was lifted as suddenly as though cold water had been thrown over him - back rushed the aches that the Cruciatus Curse had left all over his body - back rushed the realization of where he was, and what he was facing… **

"**You won't?" said Voldemort quietly, and the Death Eaters were not laughing now. **

"Of course not, they're bloody scared of you know!" Fred said in a cheerful tone. Hermione hugged Fred as she was still frightened as to what her best friend/cousin had to go through.

"**You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die… Perhaps another little dose of pain?" **

**Voldemort raised his wand, but this time Harry was ready; with the reflexes born of his Quidditch training, he flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled behind the marble headstone of Voldemort s father, and he heard it crack as the curse missed him. **

Harry let out a sigh, "May-maybe, we sh-shouldn't cancel Quidditch th-this year." McGonagall suggested with a stutter as Severus nodded in agreement. Dumbledore nodded his face showed all of the wrinkles that came with his age.

"**We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry," said Voldemort's soft, cold voice, drawing nearer, as the Death Eaters laughed. "You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry… come out and play, then… it will be quick… it might even be painless… I would not know… I have never died…" **

"Harry James Potter, I swear to Merlin that if you go out there with the intent of being killed you will be grounded until you're 100!" Rae shouted as Harry blushed and ducked his head in embarrassment.

**Harry crouched behind the headstone and knew the end had come. There was no hope… no help to be had.**

Rae was about to speak before Teddy cut her off by continuing, saving his godfather from his aunt's rath.

**And as he heard Voldemort draw nearer still, he knew one thing only, and it was beyond fear or reason: He was not going to die crouching here like a child playing hide-and-seek; he was not going to die kneeling at Voldemort s feet… he was going to die upright like his father, and he was going to die trying to defend himself, even if no defense was possible… **

"That is a very noble thing to do, Harry." Dumbledore said his eyes looking down, knowing what the boy must do in one way or the other. He wondered if the books would ruin his plans in saving Harry while destroying the Horcrux…

**Before Voldemort could stick his snakelike face around the headstone. Harry stood up… he gripped his wand tightly in his hand, thrust it out in front of him, and threw himself around the headstone, facing Voldemort. **

**Voldemort was ready. As Harry shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Voldemort cried, "Avada Kedavra!"**

Everyone started to cry as they knew that 'Expelliarmus' was no use against the killing curse. Rae ran to Harry and hugged him tight as Harry was shocked as to what was going to happen. Kaitlyn was crying into his chest wondering how Addie was possible with this future?

**A jet of green light issued from Voldemorts wand just as a jet of red light blasted from Harry's - they met in midair - and suddenly Harry's wand was vibrating as though an electric charge were surging through it; his hand seized up around it; he couldn't have released it if he'd wanted to - and a narrow beam of light connected the two wands, neither red nor green, but bright, deep gold. **

"What the-"

"Sirius Orion Black! Do not finish that sentence if you know what is good for you!" Rae shouted, a 'yes, dear.' Was heard from Sirius and Hermione and Fred laughed at the couple's antics.

**Harry, following the beam with his astonished gaze, saw that Voldemort's long white fingers too were gripping a wand that was shaking and vibrating.**

Dumbledore looked thoughtful before muttering 'prior incantantem' so low that no one could hear.

**And then - nothing could have prepared Harry for this - he felt his feet lift from the ground. He and Voldemort were both being raised into the air, their wands still connected by that thread of shimmering golden light. They glided away from the tombstone of Voldemort's father and then came to rest on a patch of ground that was clear and free of graves… The Death Eaters were shouting; they were asking Voldemort for instructions; they were closing in, reforming the circle around Harry and Voldemort, the snake slithering at their heels, some of them drawing their wands – **

**The golden thread connecting Harry and Voldemort splintered; though the wands remained connected, a thousand more beams arced high over Harry and Voldemort, crisscrossing all around them, until they were enclosed in a golden, dome-shaped web, a cage of light, beyond which the Death Eaters circled like jackals, their cries strangely muffled now… **

Everyone in the room was either looking confused or had looks of anticipation on their faces.

"**Do nothing!" Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, and Harry saw his red eyes wide with astonishment at what was happening, saw him fighting to break the thread of light still connecting his wand with Harry's; Harry held onto his wand more tightly, with both hands, and the golden thread remained unbroken. "Do nothing unless I command you!" Voldemort shouted to the Death Eaters. **

**And then an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air… It was coming from every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Harry and Voldemort. It was a sound Harry recognized, though he had heard it only once before in his life: phoenix song. **

"When did you hear it before, Harry dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked kindly.

Harry cleared his voice, "I had heard it from Faux in the Chamber of Secrets when I was saving Ginny."

"But the Chamber of Secrets is a myth…" Remus stated causing Sirius to look confused.

"If you want I'll explain my earlier years after we are done reading. Does that sound satisfactory?" Harry asked. Everyone nodded besides Hermione, Ron, and Kaitlyn. They were worried about what their parents might hear.

**It was the sound of hope to Harry… the most beautiful and welcome thing he had ever heard in his life… He felt as though the song were inside him instead of just around him… It was the sound he connected with Dumbledore, and it was almost as though a friend were speaking in his ear… **

_**Don't break the connection. **_

_**I know. **_**Harry told the music, **

"You do realize that you are basically talking to yourself." George stated.

Harry rolled his eyes, "This hasn't happened yet, number one. And number two it's never going to happen." George just smiled slightly as he blushed.

_**I know I mustn't**_**… but no sooner had he thought it, than the thing became much harder to do. His wand began to vibrate more powerfully than ever… and now the beam between him and Voldemort changed too… it was as though large beads of light were sliding up and down the thread connecting the wands - Harry felt his wand give a shudder under his hand as the light beads began to slide slowly and steadily his way… The direction of the beams movement was now toward him, from Voldemort, and he felt his wand shudder angrily… **

**As the closest bead of light moved nearer to Harrys wand tip, the wood beneath his fingers grew so hot he feared it would burst into flame. The closer that bead moved, the harder Harry's wand vibrated; he was sure his wand would not survive contact with it; it felt as though it was about to shatter under his fingers – **

**He concentrated every last particle of his mind upon forcing the bead back toward Voldemort, his ears full of phoenix song, his eyes furious, fixed… and slowly, very slowly, the beads quivered to a halt, and then, just as slowly, they began to move the other way… and it was Voldemort's wand that was vibrating extra-hard now… Voldemort who looked astonished, and almost fearful… **

Sirius smirked at that, served the git right! He had cost him his family and his best mate's family. It's no wonder that Harry wanted the bastard dead.

**One of the beads of light was quivering, inches from the tip of Voldemorts wand. Harry didn't understand why he was doing it, didn't know what it might achieve… but he now concentrated as he had never done in his life on forcing that bead of light right back into Voldemort s wand… and slowly… very slowly… it moved along the golden thread… it trembled for a moment… and then it connected… **

**At once, Voldemorts wand began to emit echoing screams of pain… then - Voldemort's red eyes widened with shock - a dense, smoky hand flew out of the tip of it and vanished… the ghost of the hand he had made Wormtail… more shouts of pain… and then something much larger began to blossom from Voldemorts wand tip, a great, grayish something, that looked as though it were made of the solidest, densest smoke… It was a head… now a chest and arms… the torso of Cedric Diggory. **

Everyone gasped at that, it was impossible! People could not come back from the dead! Everyone looked to the calm headmaster for information.

"The spell that is occurring is the spell which tells us what spells that person has used. This is a stronger version of the spell that only happens when brother wands try and fight each other. It will bring back all of his past spells. That is why he screamed, he felt the force of the cruciatus curse's and now his most recent kills will more than likely make an appearance." Dumbledore explained causing Harry and the two surviving Marauders to pale. They knew that Lily and James would be coming back as well.

**If ever Harry might have released his wand from shock, it would have been then, but instinct kept him clutching his wand tightly, so that the thread of golden light remained unbroken, even though the thick gray ghost of Cedric Diggory (was it a ghost? it looked so solid) emerged in its entirety from the end of Voldemort s wand, as though it were squeezing itself out of a very narrow tunnel… and this shade of Cedric stood up, and looked up and down the golden thread of light, and spoke.**

"**Hold on. Harry," it said. **

Cedric was shocked to say the least, he never knew that he would be involved in this type of magic.

**Its voice was distant and echoing. Harry looked at Voldemort… his wide red eyes were still shocked… he had no more expected this than Harry had… and, very dimly Harry heard the frightened yells of the Death Eaters, prowling around the edges of the golden dome… More screams of pain from the wand… and then something else emerged from its tip… the dense shadow of a second head, quickly followed by arms and torso… an old man Harry had seen only in a dream was now pushing himself out of the end of the wand just as Cedric had done… and his ghost, or his shadow, or whatever it was, fell next to Cedric's, and surveyed Harry and Voldemort, and the golden web, and the connected wands, with mild surprise, leaning on his walking stick… **

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment, looking for the right dream…he had it! The dream he had at the beginning of the year! The old man was the caretaker of the Riddle manor!

"**He was a real wizard, then?" the old man said, his eyes on Voldemort. "Killed me, that one did… You fight him, boy…" **

Ginny and Neville chuckled dryly. "He would have made a good Gryffindor." Ginny comented.

**But already, yet another head was emerging… and this head, gray as a smoky statue, was a woman's… Harry, both arms shaking now as he fought to keep his wand still, saw her drop to the ground and straighten up like the others, staring… **

**The shadow of Bertha Jorkins surveyed the battle before her with wide eyes. **

"**Don't let go, now!" she cried, and her voice echoed like Cedrics as though from very far away. "Don't let him get you, Harry - don't let go!" **

"So she did die…"Percy said as he paled. "And V-V-Voldemort did it?" he said the last part as if a question.

**She and the other two shadowy figures began to pace around the inner walls of the golden web, while the Death Eaters flitted around the outside of it… and Voldemort's dead victims whispered as they circled the duelers, whispered words of encouragement to Harry, and hissed words Harry couldn't hear to Voldemort. And now another head was emerging from the tip of Voldemorts wand… and Harry knew when he saw it who it would be… he knew, as though he had expected it from the moment when Cedric had appeared from the wand… knew, because the man appearing was the one he'd thought of more than any other tonight… **

Harry, Rae, Sirius, and Remus gulped. They didn't want to go through with this. Not at all but they knew they had to. It was a tough choice that all of them made by staying in the room to hear this.

**The smoky shadow of a tall man with untidy hair fell to the ground as Bertha had done, straightened up, and looked at him… and Harry, his arms shaking madly now, looked back into the ghostly face of his father. **

Harry and Kaitlyn had tears falling freely now. "Daddy?"Addie asked leaving her grandfathers side to be with her father and mother.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Harry asked wiping away the tears as she sat in his lap.

"Is that my other grandpa?" she asked shyly. Harry looked confused he thought that he would have told his children who his parents were. Addie saw his face and explained her question. "You told us their names and what they did for you but you never told us what they looked like or how they acted, we only saw grandpa Sev because Mum showed us a picture."

Harry nodded in understanding, he kissed her hair. "Yes," he said thickly, "That's my Dad. And at this rate I'm sure my Mum will be there as well." Addie nodded and leaned back into her father's chest as Kaitlyn smiled at the adorable father/daughter moment.

Everyone else in the room was trying to look anywhere but there so they could have some privacy. They were all trying to wipe away tears of their own as well.

**"Your mother's coming…" he said quietly. "She wants to see you… it will be all right… hold on…"**

Harry started to cry even worse than before. He tried to stop but it only made it worse so he gave in. He started to sob, his daughter and his girlfriend hugged him in a large group hug trying to calm him down. It worked slightly and he calmed down enough so they could hear the rest of the story.

**And she came… first her head, then her body… a young woman with long hair, the smoky, shadowy form of Lily Potter blossomed from the end of Voldemort's wand, fell to the ground, and straightened like her husband. She walked close to Harry, looking down at him, and she spoke in the same distant, echoing voice as the others, but quietly, so that Voldemort, his face now livid with fear as his victims prowled around him, could not hear…**

"**When the connection is broken, we will linger for only moments… but we will give you time… you must get to the Portkey, it will return you to Hogwarts… do you understand, Harry?" **

"**Yes," Harry gasped, fighting now to keep a hold on his wand, which was slipping and sliding beneath his fingers. **

Most people groaned at that. He needed to keep a good hold on his wand if he wanted to get out of there.

"**Harry…" whispered the figure of Cedric, "take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my parents…" **

Harry nodded as if telling Cedric he would. Cedric smiled slightly as he thought he had just made a very good friend.

"**I will," said Harry, his face screwed up with the effort of holding the wand. **

"**Do it now," whispered his father's voice, "be ready to run… do it now…" **

"**NOW!" Harry yelled; he didn't think he could have held on for another moment anyway - he pulled his wand upward with an almighty wrench, and the golden thread broke; the cage of light vanished, the phoenix song died - but the shadowy figures of Voldemort's victims did not disappear - they were closing in upon Voldemort, shielding Harry from his gaze – **

Everyone in the room was frozen in anticipation as they waited to hear if Harry made it out of there or not.

**And Harry ran as he had never run in his life, knocking two stunned Death Eaters aside as he passed; he zigzagged behind headstones, feeling their curses following him, hearing them hit the headstones - he was dodging curses and graves, pelting toward Cedric's body, no longer aware of the pain in his leg, his whole being concentrated on what he had to do - **

"**Stun him!" he heard Voldemort scream. **

"No!" Everyone shouted, the loudest being Kaitlyn. "No! No, don't stun him, stun Voldemort!" everyone looked at her in amusement but she didn't care, she motioned for Teddy to continue to read.

**Ten feet from Cedric, Harry dived behind a marble angel to avoid the jets of red light and saw the tip of its wing shatter as the spells hit it. Gripping his wand more tightly, he dashed out from behind the angel – **

"**Impedimenta!" he bellowed, pointing his wand wildly over his shoulder at the Death Eaters running at him. **

Moody nodded in approval, the boy did well, he would give him that.

**From a muffled yell, he thought he had stopped at least one of them, but there was no time to stop and look; he jumped over the cup and dived as he heard more wand blasts behind him; more jets of light flew over his head as he fell, stretching out his hand to grab Cedric's arm… **

"**Stand aside! I will kill him! He is mine!" shrieked Voldemort. Harry's hand had closed on Cedric's wrist; one tombstone stood between him and Voldemort, but Cedric was too heavy to carry, and the cup was out of reach – **

Hermione and Harry had no idea what he was going to do as they had not found the 'accio' charm yet.

**Voldemort's red eyes flamed in the darkness. Harry saw his mouth curl into a smile, saw him raise his wand. **

"**Accio!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air and soared toward him. Harry caught it by the handle – **

"Yes!" was yelled and cheered throughout the room as Harry smiled slightly, emotionally tired after crying for his parents.

**He heard Voldemort s scream of fury at the same moment that he felt the jerk behind his navel that meant the Portkey had worked - it was speeding him away in a whirl of wind and color, and Cedric along with him… They were going back.**

There were sighs of relief everywhere. "Alright that's the end of the chapter." Teddy said. "And I do think it's time for dinner. After dinner we can read one maybe two more chapters before going to bed."

Everyone nodded in approval as food appeared and Hermione looked stunned one of the rules in magic was that you couldn't make food appear! Maybe there was an acception as they were changing the future and ending the war.


	4. Chapter 4 Veritaserum

**I'm sorry about the extremely long time in between updates but a lot has happened in my life recently. My Uncle recently passed away and my summer job has been taking up a lot of my time…I'll try and update as often as I can.**

**An- I made a mistake when I said that Addie was the youngest…read on for more details.**

When the food appeared around the table everyone quickly claimed a spot. Adela grabbed her father and mothers hand's forcing them to sit next to her. Severus shook his head in amusement of his granddaughter, he then quickly felt despair. He wouldn't get to see his little girls' little girl grow up. The werewolf's son had said that he died. That was most likely why Addie had run to him when she got there. Severus took the seat next to his daughter that was unoccupied only to have Kingsley sit next to him.

Albus was very happy at this point, he was glad to see Severus and Harry get along for the sake if Addie. He was also glad he had made the connection between Hermione and Sirius. They would both still be miserable, no one had known about Rae because there was no documentation of the women. He quickly looked down the table where Harry was sitting and saw that Rae had taken the spot next to him.

Hermione had been like Addie and pulled her parents next to her. Her mother next to herself and Harry, whereas her dad was on her opposite side with Allie and Fred next to him. Next to Fred sat George and Charlie with Bill next to Charlie. Fleur sat on the other side of Bill with Mrs. Weasley on the other side of the table throwing her glares.

Percy sat on the other side of Dumbledore (who was sitting at the head of the table) with McGonagall on his other side. Mad-eye sat next to the Gryffindor head of house and Remus next to him with Teddy in between himself and Tonks. Mr. Weasley was next to his wife and Tonks whereas Ron sat next to his mother and Luna who had Neville on her other side and Cedric next to him.

Conversations around the table were slightly excited to see the future. "You and Mummy never really told us anything. You told us key points and nothing after that." Addie said.

Kaitlyn froze at that, "You said '_us_' does that mean you have siblings?" Harry froze as she said this as did Severus. He might have other grandchildren and he didn't even know it.

Addie sighed she hadn't meant to let that slip. She looked pleadingly at Allie. Allie thought for a moment, she too wanted to tell her parents about her younger brother. She was only thirteen herself, but her younger brother was only nine, he had wanted to come as well, but their Mum had said no. Allie gave Addie a small nod, Addie sighed in relief before turning back to her parents and grandfather.

"I have an older brother and a younger brother." Addie said with a smile.

Harry and Kaitlyn smiled as well, that made Harry feel slightly better about Kaitlyn and himself surviving the war.

Severus on the other hand was shocked, he had three grandchildren and he never got the chance to meet them. As soon as the books were over he was going to have a talk with Albus. He didn't want to be a spy for the light if it meant he didn't get to meet his grandchildren.

"What are their names?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Well, Severus Osmar Potter is the oldest, he's fifteen. He wanted to come but he was babysitting James Aidan Potter, he's two and I'm twelve." Addie said.

Severus was shocked that they would name their son after him. "Do your names have meanings?" he found himself asking.

Addie looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well, my name, Adela means noble and serene. Mummy said that was because I reminded her of Daddy. My middle name Lily, that's obviously after Grandmum Lily, which means purity.

"Severus is kind of like Sevilin which means beloved, and he was named after you. His middle name, Osmar means divinely glorious. Mummy said that his name was chosen because he was born maybe a year after the war.

"James was of course named after Grandad James, which means 'the supplanter' or holds the place of another. His middle name, Aidan means the little fiery one, Mummy picked that name because they almost 'lost' him and Daddy and Mummy were really scared. Severus made me feel better though telling me that if Jamie didn't make it Granddad Severus, Granddad James, Grandmum Lily, and Grandmum Tayen." By the time Addie had finished with her story everyone around the table had begun to listen in.

They had smiled at the meanings of the names and had some tears in their eyes after the explanation of Jame's name. Severus, though he loathed the name had a hard time swallowing when she said that little James might not have made it. The Potter/Snape family continued in conversations and the others started other conversations. Allie on the other hand was talking to her Parents, Uncles, Grandparents, and Aunt.

"So what about you?" Fred asked, "Do you have any siblings?"

Allie had a smile on her face, "I have a younger brother, his name is Arthur Roan Weasley, and he's only nine so he has to wait two more years before going to Hogwarts."

"Do you know what his name means?" Hermione asked, she had always liked to learn the meaning of names.

"Umm…Arthur I think means as strong as a bear and Roan means…little red-haired one." Allie chuckled at the last line.

When Allie explained little Arthur's name it caused everyone in the Weasley family (plus Hermione, Sirius, and Rae) to laugh. "Well, it certainly fits doesn't it?" George laughed.

"Do we have any guys to look out for?" Charlie asked in a playful menacing tone.

His words caused Allie to blush and Fred to frown at his daughters blush. "Oooohhh…who is he?" George said, trying to tease Fred than anyone.

Allie mumbled something unintelligible. "I'm sorry what was that?" Sirius asked frowning now too.

"His name is Scorpious." She answered shortly.

"What's his last name?" Fred asked pushing. Hermione reached over and slapped his head.

"Fred! Leave our daughter alone!" Fred smiled and blushed at the way she said '_our _daughter'.

Allie sighed, "Malfoy." That caused all of the Weasley men (and Sirius) to turn red. Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and Rae were all there glaring at the men. They quickly sat down and shut-up.

Once dinner was over everyone made their way to their previous seats and Dumbledore grabbed the book. "I think I shall read after that emotional dinner." Everyone nodded and he began. **"****Veritaserum," **

**Harry felt himself slam flat into the ground; his face was pressed into grass; the smell of it filled his nostrils. He had closed his eyes while the Portkey transported him, and he kept them closed now. He did not move. All the breath seemed to have been knocked out of him; his head was swimming so badly he felt as though the ground beneath him were swaying like the deck of a ship. To hold himself steady, he tightened his hold on the two things he was still clutching: the smooth, cold handle of the Triwizard Cup and Cedric's body.**

Cedric shivered at that and Luna swiftly got up and wrapped her arms around him. He sat there frozen at first before warming into the hug. Ginny and Kaitlyn smiled at the two. They figured they would make a cute couple, Luna could be…slightly 'dreamy' and Cedric could keep her grounded.

**He felt as though he would slide away into the blackness gathering at the edges of his brain if he let go of either of them. Shock and exhaustion kept him on the ground, breathing in the smell of the grass, waiting… waiting for someone to do something… something to happen… and all the while, his scar burned dully on his forehead…**

Dumbledore looked thoughtful at that. He was fairly certain that Harry was the seventh Horcrux he did not mean to make, but he needed more facts. He decided that if they kept reading they would find out more about his theories.

**A torrent of sound deafened and confused him; there were voices everywhere, footsteps, screams… He remained where he was, his face screwed up against the noise, as though it were a nightmare that would pass… **

Addie frowned at that and climbed up into her father's lap. She was only two years younger than him but she felt safe there. Harry wrapped his arms around her as Kaitlyn leaned against him. They were all a family, maybe a strange family that had lost many members but a family none the less.

**Then a pair of hands seized him roughly and turned him over. **

"**Harry! Harry!" ** **He opened his eyes. **

**He was looking up at the starry sky, and Albus Dumbledore was crouched over him. The dark shadows of a crowd of people pressed in around them, pushing nearer; Harry felt the ground beneath his head reverberating with their footsteps. **

**He had come back to the edge of the maze. He could see the stands rising above him, the shapes of people moving in them, the stars above. **

**Harry let go of the cup, but he clutched Cedric to him even more tightly. **

"Harry, once we get out of this room I would like it very much if we could hang out. Maybe get a butterbeer with our friends? I just think we can become good mates." Cedric said. Harry smiled and nodded.

**He raised his free hand and seized Dumbledore's wrist, while Dumbledore's face swam in and out of focus. **

"**He's back," Harry whispered. "He's back. Voldemort." **

"**What's going on? What's happened?" ** **The face of Cornelius Fudge appeared upside down over Harry; it looked white, appalled. **

There were groans at this, "That idiot." McGonagall mumbled. Dumbledore heard her however and chuckled softly causing others to look at him like he was crazy.

"**My God - Diggory!" it whispered. "Dumbledore - he's dead!" **

"No shit Sherlock!" Sirius exclaimed, causing Hermione and Rae to smack both of his shoulders. "Oi! What is this? Sirius gets his family back and then gets hit day?"

Remus, Rae, Hermione, Fred, George, Allie, and Tonks chuckled. "Yes." They said together causing everyone else to laugh as well.

**The words were repeated, the shadowy figures pressing in on them gasped it to those around them… and then others shouted it - screeched it - into the night – **"**He's dead!" "He's dead!" "Cedric Diggory! Dead!" **

Cedric flinched at that again, "It's alright Cedric. We can change this, we don't have to have Voldemort come back meaning that you won't die." Her face morphed into one of pain as she said the last word.

"**Harry, let go of him," he heard Fudge's voice say, and he felt fingers trying to pry him from Cedric's limp body, but Harry wouldn't let him go. Then Dumbledore's face, which was still blurred and misted, came closer. **

"**Harry, you can't help him now. It's over. Let go." **

"**He wanted me to bring him back," Harry muttered - it seemed important to explain this. "He wanted me to bring him back to his parents…" **

"You're just making yourself seem crazy mate, there's no need to explain." Cedric said with a sad smirk, still clutching Luna tightly. Harry's face twisted into a slight smirk, though it looked painful.

"I get that a lot anyway."

"**That's right. Harry… just let go now…" **

**Dumbledore bent down, and with extraordinary strength for a man so old and thin, raised Harry from the ground and set him on his feet. Harry swayed. His head was pounding. His injured leg would no longer support his weight. The crowd around them jostled, fighting to get closer, pressing darkly in on him -"What's happened?" "What's wrong with him?" "Diggory's dead!" **

"**He'll need to go to the hospital wing!" Fudge was saying loudly. "He's ill, he's injured – Dumbledore, Diggory's parents, they're here, they're in the stands…" **

Cedric paled and froze at that.

"**I'll take Harry, Dumbledore, I'll take him -" **

"**No, I would prefer-" **

"**Dumbledore, Amos Diggory's running… he's coming over… Don't you think you should tell him - before he sees -?" **

"**Harry, stay here -" Girls were screaming, sobbing hysterically… The scene flickered oddly before Harry's eyes… **

"**It's all right, son, I've got you… come on… hospital wing…" **

"**Dumbledore said stay," said Harry thickly, the pounding in his scar making him feel as though he was about to throw up; his vision was blurring worse than ever. **

Severus and Kaitlyn began to worry, "That'll be the poison…" Kaitlyn just groaned and hugged her boyfriend and daughter closer hoping that this was all just a dream.

**"You need to lie down… Come on now**…"

**Someone larger and stronger than he was was half pulling, half carrying him through the frightened crowd. Harry heard people gasping, screaming, and shouting as the man supporting him pushed a path through them, taking him back to the castle. Across the lawn, past the lake and the Durmstrang ship, Harry heard nothing but the heavy breathing of the man helping him walk. **

Mad-eye, McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore frowned at that…no one should be moving Harry against Dumbledore's orders.

"**What happened Harry?" the man asked at last as he lifted Harry up the stone steps. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. It was Mad-Eye Moody. **

That settled it for Mad-eye, he had seen the signs…him in the time teaching at Hogwarts was an imposter. Dumbledore seemed to see it as well.

**"Cup was a Portkey," said Harry as they crossed the entrance hall. "Took me and Cedric to a graveyard… and Voldemort was there… Lord Voldemort…"**

**Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Up the marble stairs… **"**The Dark Lord was there? What happened then?" **

Severus and Kaitlyn frowned as well as Harry, Addie, Sirius, Rae, Tonks, and Remus.

"**Killed Cedric… they killed Cedric…" **

"**And then?" ** **Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Along the corridor… **

"**Made a potion… got his body back…" **

"**The Dark Lord got his body back? He's returned?" **

"**And the Death Eaters came… and then we dueled…" **

"**You dueled with the Dark Lord?" **

"**Got away… my wand… did something funny… I saw my mum and dad… they came out of his wand…" **

"**In here Harry… in here, and sit down… You'll be all right now… drink this…" ** **Harry heard a key scrape in a lock and felt a cup being pushed into his hands. **

"**Drink it… you'll feel better… come on, now. Harry, I need to know exactly what happened…" **

**Moody helped tip the stuff down Harrys throat; he coughed, a peppery taste burning his throat. Moody's office came into sharper focus, and so did Moody himself… He looked as white as Fudge had looked, and both eyes were fixed unblinkingly upon Harry's face. **

Severus gasped at that, he had given Harry the antidote to the potion…but why would an imposter try to save the boy they were trying to kill?

"**Voldemort's back, Harry? You're sure he's back? How did he do it?" **

"**He took stuff from his father's grave, and from Wormtail, and me," said Harry. **

**His head felt clearer; his scar wasn't hurting so badly; he could now see Moody's face distinctly, even though the office was dark. He could still hear screaming and shouting from the distant Quidditch field. **

"**What did the Dark Lord take from you?" said Moody. **

"**Blood," said Harry, raising his arm. His sleeve was ripped where Wormtail's dagger had torn it. **

**Moody let out his breath in a long, low hiss. **"**And the Death Eaters? They returned?" **

"**Yes," said Harry. "Loads of them…" **

Everyone was sitting on the edge of their seats, most of them had figured out that Moody was an imposter.

"**How did he treat them?" Moody asked quietly. "Did he forgive them?" **

Everyone who didn't understand started to wonder…

**But Harry had suddenly remembered. He should have told Dumbledore, he should have said it straightaway – **

"**There's a Death Eater at Hogwarts! There's a Death Eater here - they put my name in the Goblet of Fire, they made sure I got through to the end -" Harry tried to get up, but Moody pushed him back down. **

Moody nodded, he had a pretty good idea that the Death Eater had disguised himself as the Auror.

"**I know who the Death Eater is," he said quietly. **

"**Karkaroff?" said Harry wildly. "Where is he? Have you got him? Is he locked up?" **

"**Karkaroff?" said Moody with an odd laugh. "Karkaroff fled tonight, when he felt the Dark Mark burn upon his arm. He betrayed too many faithful supporters of the Dark Lord to wish to meet them… but I doubt he will get far. The Dark Lord has ways of tracking his enemies." **

"**Karkaroff's gone? He ran away? But then - he didn't put my name in the goblet?" **

"**No," said Moody slowly. "No, he didn't. It was I who did that." **

There were gasps at that, everyone who didn't have an inkling of what was going on, such as Ron, glanced at the Auror in shock.

**Harry heard, but didn't believe. **"**No, you didn't," he said. "You didn't do that… you can't have done…" **

"**I assure you I did," said Moody, and his magical eye swung around and fixed upon the door, and Harry knew he was making sure that there was no one outside it. At the same time, Moody drew out his wand and pointed it at Harry. **

"**He forgave them, then?" he said. "The Death Eaters who went free? The ones who escaped Azkaban?" **

"**What?" said Harry. **

**He was looking at the wand Moody was pointing at him. This was a bad joke, it had to be. **

"CONSTANT VIGULANCE!" Mad-eye barked again, hoping to ingrain the information into their minds. When Harry, Kaitlyn, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Sirius, and Tonks didn't flinch, he eyed them appraisingly.

"**I asked you," said Moody quietly, "whether he forgave the scum who never even went to look for him. Those treacherous cowards who wouldn't even brave Azkaban for him. The faithless, worthless bits of filth who were brave enough to cavort in masks at the Quidditch World Cup, but fled at the sight of the Dark Mark when I fired it into the sky." **

"He's talking about Malfoy." Neville said with a sneer, he hated _all_ Death Eaters for what happened to so many families in the war.

"**You fired… What are you talking about…?" **

**"I told you Harry… I told you. If there's one thing I hate more than any other, it's a Death Eater who walked free. They turned their backs on my master when he needed them most. I expected him to punish them. I expected him to torture them. Tell me he hurt them, Harry…" Moody's face was suddenly lit with an insane smile.**

"**Tell me he told them that I, I alone remained faithful… prepared to risk everything to deliver to him the one thing he wanted above all… you" **

Kaitlyn, Rae, Addie and many other women hissed at that, but none as loudly as Kaitlyn Araxie Snape.

"**You didn't… it - it can't be you…" **

**"Who put your name in the Goblet of Fire, under the name of a different school? I did. Who frightened off every person I thought might try to hurt you or prevent you from winning the tournament? I did. Who nudged Hagrid into showing you the dragons? I did. Who helped you see the only way you could beat the dragon? I did"**

There was total silence at that, no one really knew what to say.

**Moody's magical eye had now left the door. It was fixed upon Harry. His lopsided mouth leered more widely than ever. **

"**It hasn't been easy, Harry, guiding you through these tasks without arousing suspicion. I have had to use every ounce of cunning I possess, so that my hand would not be detectable in your success. Dumbledore would have been very suspicious if you had managed everything too easily. As long as you got into that maze, preferably with a decent head start - then, I knew, I would have a chance of getting rid of the other champions and leaving your way clear. But I also had to contend with your stupidity. **

"He's not stupid!" Kaitlyn and Hermione said while Addie exclaimed, "My Daddy's not stupid! And stupid is a mean word!" All of the adults and people from the present chuckled at the young girl's innocence.

**The second task… that was when I was most afraid we would fail. I was keeping watch on you, Potter. I knew you hadn't worked out the egg's clue, so I had to give you another hint -"**

"**You didn't," Harry said hoarsely. "Cedric gave me the clue -" **

"**Who told Cedric to open it underwater? I did. I trusted that he would pass the information on to you. Decent people are so easy to manipulate, Potter. **

"At least we know how to open it now without being manipulated." Cedric said darkly, upset at himself for letting himself be manipulated.

**I was sure Cedric would want to repay you for telling him about the dragons, and so he did. But even then, Potter, even then you seemed likely to fail. I was watching all the time… all those hours in the library. Didn't you realize that the book you needed was in your dormitory all along? I planted it there early on, I gave it to the Longbottom boy, don't you remember? **

Neville frowned, at least they figured that one out as well. "I may need that later, Neville." Harry said with false cheerfulness in his voice.

**Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean. It would have told you all you needed to know about gillyweed. I expected you to ask everyone and anyone you could for help. Longbottom would have told you in an instant. But you did not… you did not… You have a streak of pride and independence that might have ruined all. **

"**So what could I do? Feed you information from another innocent source. You told me at the Yule Ball a house-elf called Dobby had given you a Christmas present. I called the elf to the staffroom to collect some robes for cleaning. I staged a loud conversation with Professor McGonagall about the hostages who had been taken, and whether Potter would think to use gillyweed. And your little elf friend ran straight to Snape's office and then hurried to find you…" **

McGonagall frowned as well, she was used as well! Minerva McGonagall was _never_ used unless that person had a death wish.

**Moody's wand was still pointing directly at Harry's heart. Over his shoulder, foggy shapes were moving in the Foe-Glass on the wall. **

"**You were so long in that lake, Potter, I thought you had drowned. But luckily, Dumbledore took your idiocy for nobility, and marked you high for it. I breathed again. **

Harry frowned at that, he wasn't an idiot for wanting to save others was it?

"**You had an easier time of it than you should have in that maze tonight, of course," said Moody. "I was patrolling around it, able to see through the outer hedges, able to curse many obstacles out of your way. I Stunned Fleur Delacour as she passed. I put the Imperius Curse on Krum, so that he would finish Diggory and leave your path to the cup clear." **

Hermione gasped, she was right. "You were right, 'Mione. Krum was placed under the Imperius curse." Fred said, his face set into a frown. He still didn't like that guy…

**Harry stared at Moody. He just didn't see how this could be… Dumbledore's friend, the famous Auror… the one who had caught so many Death Eaters… It made no sense… no sense at all… **

**The foggy shapes in the Foe-Glass were sharpening, had become more distinct. Harry could see the outlines of three people over Moody's shoulder, moving closer and closer. But Moody wasn't watching them. His magical eye was upon Harry. **

Kaitlyn and Addie breathed sighs of relief when they noticed that. No one else seemed to notice it though and they kept it to their selves as they glanced at each other.

"**The Dark Lord didn't manage to kill you Potter, and he so wanted to," whispered Moody. "Imagine how he will reward me when he finds I have done it for him. I gave you to him - the thing he needed above all to regenerate - and then I killed you for him. I will be honored beyond all other Death Eaters. I will be his dearest, his closest supporter… closer than a son…"**

"This is getting creepy." Charlie said, Bill nodded while Percy seemed a bit pale. Voldemort _couldn't _be back! He just _couldn't_!

**Moody's normal eye was bulging, the magical eye fixed upon Harry. The door was barred, and Harry knew he would never reach his own wand in time… **

"**The Dark Lord and I," said Moody, and he looked completely insane now, towering over Harry, leering down at him, "have much in common. Both of us, for instance, had very disappointing fathers… very disappointing indeed. Both of us suffered the indignity, Harry, of being named after those fathers. And both of us had the pleasure… the very great pleasure… of killing our fathers to ensure the continued rise of the Dark Order!" **

"Moody wasn't named after his father…" Ron said in confusion, causing Harry and Hermione to snigger silently.

"**You're mad," Harry said - he couldn't stop himself- "you're mad!" **

"**Mad, am I?" said Moody, his voice rising uncontrollably. "We'll see! We'll see who's mad, now that the Dark Lord has returned, with me at his side! He is back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him - and now - I conquer you!" **

**Moody raised his wand, he opened his mouth; Harry plunged his own hand into his robes – **

Hermione glanced at her cousin, hoping he would be okay. Sirius and Rae were also looking slightly worried. Things were not looking good for one Harry James Potter.

"**Stupefy!" There was a blinding flash of red light, and with a great splintering and crashing, the door of Moody's office was blasted apart – Moody was thrown backward onto the office floor. **

There were sighs of relief at that. Harry would be okay…

**Harry, still staring at the place where Moody's face had been, saw Albus Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Professor McGonagall looking back at him out of the Foe-Glass. He looked around and saw the three of them standing in the doorway, Dumbledore in front, his wand outstretched. **

"Thank you, Albus." Rae said softly, Dumbledore nodded. "You too Severus, Minerva." Said people nodded as well.

"I do not think my daughter would ever forgive me if anything happened to Mr. Potter." Severus drawled. McGonagall just smirked at the normally cold potions master.

**At that moment, Harry fully understood for the first time why people said Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. The look upon Dumbledore's face as he stared down at the unconscious form of Mad-Eye Moody was more terrible than Harry could have ever imagined. There was no benign smile upon Dumbledore's face, no twinkle in the eyes behind the spectacles. There was cold fury in every line of the ancient face; a sense of power radiated from Dumbledore as though he were giving off burning heat. **

"Thank you, sir." Harry said with a dry mouth.

Dumbledore sighed, "Harry, the only reason why I'm so upset in the book is because I care about you more than a normal student…you're special Harry because I see you as the grandson I never had. I care about you very much Harry." Harry just beamed at that, he seemed to be getting more family than he ever dreamed that he would have.

"I see you as a grandfather as well, Professor…" Dumbledore's twinkle in his eye came back as well.

**He stepped into the office, placed a foot underneath Moody's unconscious body, and kicked him over onto his back, so that his face was visible. Snape followed him, looking into the Foe-Glass, where his own face was still visible, glaring into the room. Professor McGonagall went straight to Harry. **

"I cannot just leave my lions in pain, now can I?" Said woman said softly. Harry, Kaitlyn, and Hermione just smiled softly as they knew she would do anything to protect them.

"**Come along, Potter," she whispered. The thin line of her mouth was twitching as though she was about to cry. "Come along… hospital wing…" **

"**No," said Dumbledore sharply. **

Rae's face snapped sharply towards the headmaster. "No. Harry needs to rest. Especially after a traumatic event such as this!" Dumbledore sighed, he knew she was right but he was upset at this point and he just wanted answers.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Black."

"It's not me you need to apologize too."

Dumbledore chuckled slightly before turning to face Harry, "I'm extremely sorry for what's about to happen, Harry. You have to understand, I was angry at myself for not protecting you better, and angry and the imposter Moody for putting you in even more danger. At this point I just wanted answers and you needed to hear them as well." Harry nodded with a smirk on his face, he liked his long lost aunt…

"It's alright Professor."

"**Dumbledore, he ought to - look at him - he's been through enough tonight -" **

"Thank you, Minerva." Rae said with a nod towards her old Professor. Said professor just smiled slightly in her direction.

"**He will stay, Minerva, because he needs to understand," said Dumbledore curtly. **"**Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. He needs to know who has put him through the ordeal he has suffered tonight, and why." **

"As much as I agree with you, Albus, this is one exception." The transfiguration professor said with a stern face.

"**Moody," Harry said. He was still in a state of complete disbelief. "How can it have been Moody?" **

"**This is not Alastor Moody," said Dumbledore quietly. "You have never known Alastor Moody. The real Moody would not have removed you from my sight after what happened tonight. The moment he took you, I knew - and I followed." **

The real Moody nodded, he never would have removed the boy against the headmaster's orders.

**Dumbledore bent down over Moody's limp form and put a hand inside his robes. He pulled out Moody's hip flask and a set of keys on a ring. Then he turned to Professors McGonagall and Snape. **

"**Severus, please fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess, and then go down to the kitchens and bring up the house-elf called Winky. **

There were confused faces at that, what did Winky have to do with anything? "Why would you need Mr. Crouch's ex-elf?" Percy asked, Hermione sent him a glare.

"That poor elf didn't need to be freed! She was devastated over something she didn't do!" she yelled. Percy said nothing and ignored her, causing her anger to grow. Fred and Sirius had to hold her down so she didn't kill the poor boy. Rae just watched her daughter with a grin, they were so much alike it was ridiculous.

**Minerva, kindly go down to Hagrid's house, where you will find a large black dog sitting in the pumpkin patch. Take the dog up to my office, tell him I will be with him shortly, then come back here." **

Sirius smirked while Remus and Rae shook their heads in amusement. Hermione, Kaitlyn, and Harry just chuckled as they remembered the grim like dog that was Sirius' animagus.

**If either Snape or McGonagall found these instructions peculiar, they hid their confusion. Both turned at once and left the office. Dumbledore walked over to the trunk with seven locks, fitted the first key in the lock, and opened it. It contained a mass of spell-books. Dumbledore closed the trunk, placed a second key in the second lock, and opened the trunk again. The spellbooks had vanished; this time it contained an assortment of broken Sneako-scopes, some parchment and quills, and what looked like a silvery Invisibility Cloak. Harry watched, astounded, as Dumbledore placed the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth keys in their respective locks, reopening the trunk each time, and revealing different contents each time. Then he placed the seventh key in the lock, threw open the lid, and Harry let out a cry of amazement. **

"What? What was it?" Kaitlyn asked, her voice filled with concern.

**He was looking down into a kind of pit, an underground room, and lying on the floor some ten feet below, apparently fast asleep, thin and starved in appearance, was the real Mad-Eye Moody. **

Moody scowled at that, how could he let someone sneak up on him like that? It was unheard of!

**His wooden leg was gone, the socket that should have held the magical eye looked empty beneath its lid, and chunks of his grizzled hair were missing. Harry stared, thunderstruck, between the sleeping Moody in the trunk and the unconscious Moody lying on the floor of the office. **

**Dumbledore climbed into the trunk, lowered himself, and fell lightly onto the floor beside the sleeping Moody. He bent over him. **"**Stunned - controlled by the Imperius Curse - very weak," he said. "Of course, they would have needed to keep him alive. Harry, throw down the imposter's cloak - he's freezing. Madam Pomfrey will need to see him, but he seems in no immediate danger." **

Moody nodded, they needed information first. That was the important thing. Dumbledore on the other hand was frowning. He would normally have sent Harry to the hospital wing before making sense of anything. He must have been livid over the death of a student, that must have been why he was acting the way he was.

**Harry did as he was told; Dumbledore covered Moody in the cloak, tucked it around him, and clambered out of the trunk again. Then he picked up the hip flask that stood upon the desk, unscrewed it, and turned it over. A thick glutinous liquid splattered onto the office floor. **

"**Polyjuice Potion, Harry," said Dumbledore. "You see the simplicity of it, and the brilliance. For Moody never does drink except from his hip flask, he's well known for it.**

Moody cursed under his breath, what he had thought was smart turned out to be his downfall in the end. Dumbledore seemed to notice this and smiled sadly at his old friend.

**The imposter needed, of course, to keep the real Moody close by, so that he could continue making the potion. You see his hair…" Dumbledore looked down on the Moody in the trunk. "The imposter has been cutting it off all year, see where it is uneven? But I think, in the excitement of tonight, our fake Moody might have forgotten to take it as frequently as he should have done… on the hour… every hour… We shall see." **

**Dumbledore pulled out the chair at the desk and sat down upon it, his eyes fixed upon the unconscious Moody on the floor. Harry stared at him too. Minutes passed in silence… **

**Then, before Harry's very eyes, the face of the man on the floor began to change. The scars were disappearing, the skin was becoming smooth; the mangled nose became whole and started to shrink. The long mane of grizzled gray hair was withdrawing into the scalp and turning the color of straw. Suddenly, with a loud clunk, the wooden leg fell away as a normal leg regrew in its place; next moment, the magical eyeball had popped out of the man's face as a real eye replaced it; it rolled away across the floor and continued to swivel in every direction. **

**Harry saw a man lying before him, pale-skinned, slightly freckled, with a mop of fair hair. He knew who he was. He had seen him in Dumbledore's Pensieve, had watched him being led away from court by the dementors, trying to convince Mr. Crouch that he was innocent… but he was lined around the eyes now and looked much older… **

Everyone was sitting on the edge of their seats, they wanted to know who the imposter was.

**There were hurried footsteps outside in the corridor. Snape had returned with Winky at his heels. Professor McGonagall was right behind them. **

"**Crouch!" Snape said, stopping dead in the doorway. "Barty Crouch!" **

"What?!" Was heard throughout the room. Dumbledore held up a finger telling them that he would continue reading.

"**Good heavens," said Professor McGonagall, stopping dead and staring down at the man on the floor. **

**Filthy, disheveled, Winky peered around Snape's legs. Her mouth opened wide and she let out a piercing shriek. **

Hermione frowned, she hated thinking of house-elves like servents.

"**Master Barty, Master Barty, what is you doing here?" She flung herself forward onto the young man's chest. **

Even Percy seemed confused at that, "As much as I appreciate Mr. Crouch, I don't think he is a young man." Dumbledore nodded at that. There was only one explanation after that.

"**You is killed him! You is killed him! You is killed Master's son!" **

"Son?" Harry asked. Dumbledore smiled sadly.

"After hearing the chapter's title, Harry, I do believe the book will explain it. He just nodded at the headmaster and sat back, Addie in his lap and Kaitlyn leaning her head on his shoulder.

"**He is simply Stunned, Winky," said Dumbledore. "Step aside, please. Severus, you have the potion?" **

**Snape handed Dumbledore a small glass bottle of completely clear liquid: the Veritaserum with which he had threatened Harry in class. Dumbledore got up, bent over the man on the floor, and pulled him into a sitting position against the wall beneath the Foe-Glass, in which the reflections of Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall were still glaring down upon them all. Winky remained on her knees, trembling, her hands over her face. Dumbledore forced the man's mouth open and poured three drops inside it. Then he pointed his wand at the man's chest and said, "Ennervate." **

**Crouch's son opened his eyes. His face was slack, his gaze unfocused. Dumbledore knelt before him, so that their faces were level. **

"**Can you hear me?" Dumbledore asked quietly. The man's eyelids flickered. **

"**Yes," he muttered. **

No one said a word, afraid they were going to miss something.

"**I would like you to tell us," said Dumbledore softly, "how you came to be here. How did you escape from Azkaban?" **

**Crouch took a deep, shuddering breath, then began to speak in a flat, expressionless voice. "My mother saved me. She knew she was dying. She persuaded my father to rescue me as a last favor to her. He loved her as he had never loved me. He agreed. They came to visit me. They gave me a draft of Polyjuice Potion containing one of my mother's hairs. She took a draft of Polyjuice Potion containing one of my hairs. We took on each other's appearance."**

Things began to clear up for the older members in the room, while the younger people still looked extremely confused.

**Winky was shaking her head, trembling. **"**Say no more. Master Barty, say no more, you is getting your father into trouble!" **

**But Crouch took another deep breath and continued in the same flat voice. **"**The dementors are blind. They sensed one healthy, one dying person entering Azkaban. They sensed one healthy, one dying person leaving it. My father smuggled me out, disguised as my mother, in case any prisoners were watching through their doors. **

"**My mother died a short while afterward in Azkaban. She was careful to drink Polyjuice Potion until the end. She was buried under my name and bearing my appearance. Everyone believed her to be me." The man's eyelids flickered. **

"As much as it pains me to say, that was an extremely intelligent plan." Severus said, his eyebrows knitted together.

"**And what did your father do with you, when he had got you home?" said Dumbledore quietly. **

"**Staged my mother's death. A quiet, private funeral. That grave is empty. The house-elf nursed me back to health. Then I had to be concealed. I had to be controlled. My father had to use a number of spells to subdue me. When I had recovered my strength, I thought only of finding my master… of returning to his service." **

There were shudders at that, they hated the idea of Voldemort being alive.

"**How did your father subdue you?" said Dumbledore. **

"**The Imperius Curse, I was under my father's control. I was forced to wear an Invisibility Cloak day and night. I was always with the house-elf. She was my keeper and caretaker. She pitied me. She persuaded my father to give me occasional treats. Rewards for my good behavior." **

"Winky." Rae whispered.

"**Master Barty, Master Barty," sobbed Winky through her hands. "You isn't ought to tell them, we is getting in trouble…" **

"**Did anybody ever discover that you were still alive?" said Dumbledore softly. "Did anyone know except your father and the house-elf?" **

"**Yes," said Crouch, his eyelids flickering again. "A witch in my father's office. Bertha Jorkins. She came to the house with papers for my father s signature. He was not at home. Winky showed her inside and returned to the kitchen, to me. But Bertha Jorkins heard Winky talking to me. She came to investigate. She heard enough to guess who was hiding under the Invisibility Cloak. My father arrived home. She confronted him. He put a very powerful Memory Charm on her to make her forget what she'd found out. Too powerful. He said it damaged her memory permanently." **

Percy seemed too shocked to say anything.

"**Why is she coming to nose into my masters private business?" sobbed Winky. "Why isn't she leaving us be?" **

"**Tell me about the Quidditch World Cup," said Dumbledore. **

"**Winky talked my father into it," said Crouch, still in the same monotonous voice. "She spent months persuading him. I had not left the house for years. I had loved Quidditch. Let him go, she said. He will be in his Invisibility Cloak. He can watch. Let him smell fresh air for once. She said my mother would have wanted it. She told my father that my mother had died to give me freedom. She had not saved me for a life of imprisonment. He agreed in the end. **

"**It was carefully planned. My father led me and Winky up to the Top Box early in the day. Winky was to say that she was saving a seat for my father. I was to sit there, invisible. When everyone had left the box, we would emerge. Winky would appear to be alone. Nobody would ever know. **

"**But Winky didn't know that I was growing stronger. I was starting to fight my father's Imperius Curse. There were times when I was almost myself again. There were brief periods when I seemed outside his control. It happened, there, in the Top Box. It was like waking from a deep sleep. I found myself out in public, in the middle of the match, and I saw, in front of me, a wand sticking out of a boys pocket. I had not been allowed a wand since before Azkaban. I stole it. Winky didn't know. Winky is frightened of heights. She had her face hidden." **

Harry paled, he had helped the imposter! Kaitlyn saw this and shook her head at him, telling him that it wasn't her fault.

"**Master Barty, you bad boy!" whispered Winky, tears trickling between her fingers. **

"Poor Winky." Hermione and Rae said together, causing Fred and Sirius to snort in laughter. Everyone glared at them as they had found nothing funny about the situation.

"**So you took the wand," said Dumbledore, "and what did you do with it?" **

**"We went back to the tent," said Crouch. "Then we heard them. We heard the Death Eaters. The ones who had never been to Azkaban. The ones who had never suffered for my master. They had turned their backs on him. They were not enslaved, as I was. They were free to seek him, but they did not. They were merely making sport of Muggles. The sound of their voices awoke me. My mind was clearer than it had been in years. I was angry. I had the wand. I wanted to attack them for their disloyalty to my master. My father had left the tent; he had gone to free the Muggles. Winky was afraid to see me so angry. She used her own brand of magic to bind me to her.**

"**She pulled me from the tent, pulled me into the forest, away from the Death Eaters. I tried to hold her back. I wanted to return to the campsite. I wanted to show those Death Eaters what loyalty to the Dark Lord meant, and to punish them for their lack of it. I used the stolen wand to cast the Dark Mark into the sky. **

Percy seemed stunned, the elf hadn't done it? The son of his idol had? He was so confused…

"**Ministry wizards arrived. They shot Stunning Spells everywhere. One of the spells came through the trees where Winky and I stood. The bond connecting us was broken. We were both Stunned. **

"**When Winky was discovered, my father knew I must be nearby. He searched the bushes where she had been found and felt me lying there. He waited until the other Ministry members had left the forest. He put me back under the Imperius Curse and took me home. He dismissed Winky. She had failed him. She had let me acquire a wand. She had almost let me escape." Winky let out a wail of despair. **

Rae and Hermione's hearts seemed to break at that thought, they were both thinking of different ways to help the poor thing.

"**Now it was just Father and I, alone in the house. And then… and then…" **

**Crouch's head rolled on his neck, and an insane grin spread across his face. "My master came for me. **

That caused even more shudders around the room. The way Harry described that was just plain creepy.

"**He arrived at our house late one night in the arms of his servant Wormtail. My master had found out that I was still alive. He had captured Bertha Jorkins in Albania. He had tortured her. She told him a great deal. She told him about the Triwizard Tournament. She told him the old Auror, Moody, was going to teach at Hogwarts. He tortured her until he broke through the Memory Charm my father had placed upon her. She told him I had escaped from Azkaban. She told him my father kept me imprisoned to prevent me from seeking my master. And so my master knew that I was still his faithful servant - perhaps the most faithful of all. My master conceived a plan, based upon the information Bertha had given him. He needed me. He arrived at our house near midnight. My father answered the door." **

**The smile spread wider over Crouch's face, as though recalling the sweetest memory of his life. Winky's petrified brown eyes were visible through her fingers. She seemed too appalled to speak. **

"**It was very quick. My father was placed under the Imperius Curse by my master. Now my father was the one imprisoned, controlled. My master forced him to go about his business as usual, to act as though nothing was wrong. And I was released. I awoke. I was myself again, alive as I hadn't been in years. **

Severus seemed to pale as the fake Moody continued to speak, if he thought Crouch Jr. was his most loyal he would need to work twice as hard when the Dark Lord did return. Kaitlyn saw her fathers pale face and began to worry about him.

"**And what did Lord Voldemort ask you to do?" said Dumbledore. **

**"He asked me whether I was ready to risk everything for him. I was ready. It was my dream, my greatest ambition, to serve him, to prove myself to him. He told me he needed to place a faithful servant at Hogwarts. A servant who would guide Harry Potter through the Triwizard Tournament without appearing to do so. A servant who would watch over Harry Potter. Ensure he reached the Triwizard Cup. Turn the cup into a Portkey, which would take the first person to touch it to my master. But first -"**

Cedric and Harry flinched at the reminder of the cup, at the moment they wanted nothing to do with it.

"**You needed Alastor Moody," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were blazing, though his voice remained calm. **

"**Wormtail and I did it. We had prepared the Polyjuice Potion beforehand. We journeyed to his house. Moody put up a struggle. There was a commotion. We managed to subdue him just in time. Forced him into a compartment of his own magical trunk. Took some of his hair and added it to the potion. I drank it; I became Moody's double. I took his leg and his eye. I was ready to face Arthur Weasley when he arrived to sort out the Muggles who had heard a disturbance. I made the dustbins move around the yard. I told Arthur Weasley I had heard intruders in my yard, who had set off the dustbins.**

The real Moody scowled, at least he had put up a decent fight.

**Then I packed up Moody's clothes and Dark detectors, put them in the trunk with Moody, and set off for Hogwarts. I kept him alive, under the Imperius Curse. I wanted to be able to question him. To find out about his past, learn his habits, so that I could fool even Dumbledore. I also needed his hair to make the Polyjuice Potion. The other ingredients were easy. I stole boom-slang skin from the dungeons. When the Potions master found me in his office, I said I was under orders to search it." **

Severus scowled, he hated being tricked. He didn't just hate it he _loathed_ it. Kaitlyn swallowed when she saw his face, she had only seen that face in extreme circumstances.

"**And what became of Wormtail after you attacked Moody?" said Dumbledore. **

Almost everyone growled at that.

"**Wormtail returned to care for my master, in my father's house, and to keep watch over my father." **

"**But your father escaped," said Dumbledore. **

"**Yes. After a while he began to fight the Imperius Curse just as I had done. There were periods when he knew what was happening. My master decided it was no longer safe for my father to leave the house. He forced him to send letters to the Ministry instead. He made him write and say he was ill. But Wormtail neglected his duty. He was not watchful enough. My father escaped. My master guessed that he was heading for Hogwarts. My father was going to tell Dumbledore everything, to confess. He was going to admit that he had smuggled me from Azkaban. **

"Wormtail always was a worthless, good for nothing, son of a-"

"Sirius Orion Black! Your granddaughter and niece are in the room! If you finish that sentence you will be sleeping on the couch tonight!" Sirius paled at that and nodded. Hermione on the other hand looked a little green, she didn't want to hear anything about her parents personal life.

**"My master sent me word of my father's escape. He told me to stop him at all costs. So I waited and watched. I used the map I had taken from Harry Potter. The map that had almost ruined everything."**

Sirius, Remus, Harry, Hermione, Kaitlyn, Fred, George, and Ron scowled. Their greatest secret was about to be let out into the open. Dumbledore and the rest of the staff was looking interested though.

"**Map?" said Dumbledore quickly. "What map is this?" **

"**Potter's map of Hogwarts. Potter saw me on it. Potter saw me stealing more ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion from Snape's office one night. He thought I was my father. We have the same first name. I took the map from Potter that night. I told him my father hated Dark wizards. Potter believed my father was after Snape. **

Harry frowned, he never thought that about Snape. He might have thought he was a greasy git at some points but not a Dark Wizard. "Daddy never thought that!" Addie said firmly. "He laughed outright when he read that. He told me he thought Granddaddy could be a greasy git but didn't think he was a Dark Wizard."

Severus just raised an eyebrow at his daughter's boyfriend. Harry just shrugged with a blush on his face.

"**For a week I waited for my father to arrive at Hogwarts. At last, one evening, the map showed my father entering the grounds. I pulled on my Invisibility Cloak and went down to meet him. He was walking around the edge of the forest. Then Potter came, and Krum. I waited. I could not hurt Potter; my master needed him. Potter ran to get Dumbledore. I Stunned Krum. I killed my father." **

Percy paled further at that.

"**Noooo!" wailed Winky. "Master Barty, Master Barty, what is you saying?" **

"**You killed your father," Dumbledore said, in the same soft voice. "What did you do with the body?" **

"**Carried it into the forest. Covered it with the Invisibility Cloak. I had the map with me. I watched Potter run into the castle. He met Snape. Dumbledore joined them. I watched Potter bringing Dumbledore out of the castle. I walked back out of the forest, doubled around behind them, went to meet them. I told Dumbledore Snape had told me where to come. **

Severus mumbled some more before turning his attention back to the book Dumbledore was reading.

"**Dumbledore told me to go and look for my father. I went back to my father's body. Watched the map. When everyone was gone, I Transfigured my father's body. He became a bone… I buried it, while wearing the Invisibility Cloak, in the freshly dug earth in front of Hagrid's cabin." **

**There was complete silence now, except for Winky's continued sobs. Then Dumbledore said, "And tonight…" **

"**I offered to carry the Triwizard Cup into the maze before dinner," whispered Barty Crouch. **"**Turned it into a Portkey. My master's plan worked. He is returned to power and I will be honored by him beyond the dreams of wizards." **

**The insane smile lit his features once more, and his head drooped onto his shoulder as Winky wailed and sobbed at his side.**

There was utter silence as everyone tried to take all of that in. "I think we should all be heading to bed now. Let everything sink in." Dumbledore suggested.

They then all separated into the different rooms labeled as such:

Harry, Cedric, Ron, Fred, George, Neville, Bill, and Charlie in one room. Kaitlyn, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Fleur, and Tonks in another room. Sirius and Rae together. Allie, Addie, and Teddy together. Kingsley by himself, Dumbledore by himself, McGonagall by herself, Percy by himself, Moody by himself, Severus by himself, and Remus by himself. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley also shared a room.

They all said their goodnights before heading in to bed.


End file.
